Charl Kleinhaus: Afrikaner 'refugee' in the US mingled with Jacob Zuma and headed mining company
Afrikaner 'refugee' Charl Kleinhaus, who is currently in asylum in the US recently opened up about how awful it was to leave behind his five-bedroom house and mother in South Africa while fleeing racial persecution.
However, there may be cracks in his story as pictures have emerged of Kleinhaus rubbing shoulders with one of the most powerful people in the country, former president Jacob Zuma. It is unclear what the photo op with the uMkhonto WeSizwe (MK Party) leader was about but, the online rumour mill is spinning.
Citizen sleuths dug into the refugee's past to uncover a life of wealth and comfort which contradicts Kleinhaus's claims.
"I had to leave a five-bedroom house which I will lose now because I'm not going to pay for it. I also left my car behind, my dogs, and my mother. I didn't come here for fun. But my children are safe. If you're white, you're wrong in South Africa," Kleinhaus told BBC.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The South African
a day ago
- The South African
What happens if Afrikaner 'refugees' want to come home?
A second batch of Afrikaner 'refugees' have settled into the US, and thousands more are expected to arrive. However, with South African-born Elon Musk's ongoing feud with President Donald Trump, concern is mounting among those who now call America home. More importantly, will they be allowed to return to South Africa? It's no secret that President Donald Trump's view of South Africa was influenced by his former right-hand man, Elon Musk. Born in Pretoria, and having left at just 17, the world's richest man has actively accused his country of birth of promoting 'white genocide', 'farm confiscation,' and 'racist laws'. With Trump now threatening to cut all government contracts to Musk, and possibly distance himself from him altogether, what does this mean for the Afrikaner 'refugees' already in the US? What does Elon Musk's rant mean for Afrikaner 'refugees'? Images via X The group of white South Africans was offered asylum based on proving their fear of persecution on the grounds of race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or membership in a particular social group. Under US and international immigration laws, refugees who have received asylum cannot simply be deported to their country of persecution. Legislation also vigorously protects their rights to stay in their new adoptive country. However, their status can be terminated should they be found guilty of serious crimes or if they fraudulently sought asylum. According to the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), there is a strict vetting process for those who seek refugee status in the country. Once resettled in the US, refugees are permitted to work immediately. They will be eligible for a green card a year later. However, there are also stringent travel restrictions in place. The USCIS states that all refugees must obtain permission via a travel document before they depart the US. Failure to do so could result in asylees being denied re-entry into the US. These actions could also strip asylees of their refugee status, resulting in removal proceedings before an immigration judge. In the case of Afrikaners, returning to South Africa – considered the country of 'persecution' – could come at a cost. Here is how… Refugees who visit SA without prior permission shall be presumed to have abandoned their asylum unless they can establish compelling reasons for their return. Refugees are expected to explain the reason for their return in the process of obtaining permission. Returning to one's country of claimed persecution could result in termination of asylum if there are fundamental changes in circumstances back home. Termination could also occur due to fraud in the asylum application. This happens if an applicant is not eligible for refugee status. Returning to SA for business or pleasure can be considered evidence that the refugee's alleged fear of persecution is not genuine. For Afrikaner 'refugees' hoping to return home willingly for good, voluntary repatriation is always an option. Organisations like the UNHCR help those who wish to travel back to their countries by providing financial assistance. According to the South African Department of International Relations, 'refugees' would be welcomed back as citizens. However, they would have to revoke their status in order for this to happen. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 . Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp , Facebook , X , and Bluesky for the latest news.
IOL News
a day ago
- IOL News
Elon Musk's influence on Trump: A closer look at the Afrikaner genocide debate
US president Donald Trump shakes hands with billionaire businessman Elon Musk on May 30 before their public feud. Image: Allison Robbert / AFP The public fallout between US President Donald Trump and South African-born billionaire Elon Musk is not bothering one of the political parties in the Government of National Unity (GNU). Trump and Musk took to their social media platforms this week over differences in his administration's spending. Musk stated that Trump would not have won the 2024 presidential elections without his campaign spending hundreds of US dollars. Freedom Front Plus leader Dr Corné Mulder said he did not believe the approach by Trump or his administration would be changed due to the bitter feud and affect its response to allegations of 'genocide' against white Afrikaner farmers in South Africa. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Mulder was responding to questions about whether the fallout could see Trump dramatically changing his views on the white Afrikaner genocide in South Africa. Musk is widely regarded as a person who wielded immense influence on Trump. 'It is incorrect to assume that US foreign policy is based on the influence of specific individuals. Unhappiness with SA is not something new. Even during the (Joe) Biden administration, a bipartisan bill was introduced in the US Congress to relook the US-SA relationship,' he said. Political analyst Professor Dirk Kotzé said Musk has in the past been influential in these issues, but there are many other South Africans who are also influential and close to Trump. 'So it will not necessarily change this matter, I don't think Musk was the one who dealt with or promoted the issue of genocide necessarily, he was more there in terms of black economic empowerment and employment equity and those government policies that he criticised, so he will continue with that until there is an agreement about Starlink,' Kotzé explained. He added: 'When it comes to the Afrikaner issues and what is called genocide, I don't think he was ever a key person in that, I think that is more where the conservatives – AfriForum, Solidarity, (South African-born American conservative political commentator and radio host) Joe Pollak and others – came in to promote that idea.' Kotzé said his understanding is that there has been a smaller, second group that went to the US after the earlier AfriForum-Solidarity delegation, but without any public attention because it created much more disturbances within US politics in general. 'So I think it has become a controversial issue in the US, and Trump wants to avoid that. I can see that this is not going to be a public project in the future, it is not something they will announce in the media, welcome them, and have public events,' he predicted. Kotzé also anticipates that this initiative or project will, over time, actually slow down. 'I don't see it developing strong momentum that it will be something very prominent in the future. I think it is going to disappear over time,' he said.
Eyewitness News
a day ago
- Eyewitness News
Farm murders and rural safety take prominence on parliamentary agenda
CAPE TOWN - Farm murders and rural safety were back on the parliamentary agenda on Friday, where parties debated the need for a better response to rural crime to ensure food security. The debate comes not too long after President Cyril Ramaphosa and a South African delegation visited the US to convince the country that there's no targeting of white farmers, saying the farmers are just victims of high crime. The Democratic Alliance (DA) has also used the debate to reiterate its opposition to land expropriation without compensation, saying it threatens investor confidence. DA member of Parliament (MP) and spokesperson Willie Aucamp opened the debate, saying the issue of rural safety cuts to the heart of the country's stability and food security. "For too long, the brutality of farm attacks as well as the effect that it has on food security have been ignored. But, finally, this house has been forced to confront the truth." But the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party's Andile Mngxitama says the commercial agriculture sector is still oppressive towards black people, who he says suffer the most on farms. "The commercial agricultural sector remains the bastion of naked racism and systemic violence against black people. The oppressive relations inherited from the past continue in democratic South Africa."
