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Middle East Eye
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Middle East Eye
Why claims of 'white genocide' in South Africa are cruelly ironic
It was an afternoon of several cruel ironies. With the genocide in Gaza reaching barely fathomable levels of brutality over the past several days, including a UN warning about the imminent deaths of up to 14,000 infants, US President Donald Trump accused South Africa of conducting a 'white genocide'. Trump, not known for his deference, flat out asked South African President Cyril Ramaphosa to explain the killings of white farmers in the country. Ramaphosa could do little more than push back gently and offer a nervous smile as he tried to extricate himself from the televised ambush. But Trump persisted, apparently seeking confrontation or capitulation. Trump said white South Africans were 'fleeing because of the violence and racist laws', pointing to images that showed 'genocide' was taking place. Trump asked his aides to lower the lights, and proceeded to screen a video of South African opposition party leader Julius Malema demanding land expropriation at a session in parliament. New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters In another video, Malema is seen leading a chant of 'Kill the Boer', referring to white farmers, a slogan that harkens back to the days when it was used to mobilise against apartheid rule. The next video, Trump said, showed 'burial sites' of 'over 1,000' white farmers in South Africa. Beyond fear-mongering For the record, not only is there no white genocide taking place in South Africa, but white South Africans own more land; have access to better schooling, healthcare and employment opportunities; and enjoy a better overall standard of living than Black South Africans. White South Africans, who make up around seven percent of the population, own 72 percent of the country's farmland, compared with four percent for Black Africans, who comprise 81 percent of the population. The burial sites Trump mentioned were actually white crosses used during a protest in 2020 to represent farmers allegedly killed. Why so many white South Africans are reluctant to support Palestine Read More » Throughout the public interrogation, Ramaphosa, though visibly perplexed, maintained his composure, and resisted the urge to self-immolate, as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenksy had done during a previous ambush by Trump and Vice President JD Vance in February. It seems Ramaphosa came prepared, given that both Trump and his close associate, Elon Musk, had been circling South Africa for several months. For Musk, who refuses to comply with South African laws mandating that at least 30 percent of a company's ownership or economic involvement must include Black South Africans, the launch of Starlink in the country remains in purgatory. The effort to shame South Africa, as emphasised by the arrival of 54 white 'refugees' in the US earlier this month, was more than just fear-mongering. Even prior to Trump's return to the White House, the Biden administration had made its displeasure known over Pretoria's decision to take Israel to the International Court of Justice on the charge of genocide. Israel, too, has used its lobbyists in an attempt to dent South Africa's reputation in Washington. And what better obfuscation could there be than Washington accusing South Africa itself of conducting a genocide? Win-win scenario Earlier this year, the South African government passed a land expropriation law in an effort to reduce unequal distribution of land among the country's people. Amid accusations that this could result in private land being seized without payment, Ramaphosa's office issued a statement describing it not as a 'confiscation' scheme, but rather as 'a constitutionally mandated legal process that ensures public access to land in an equitable and just manner as guided by the Constitution'. Shortly after the expropriation law passed in January, Zsa-Zsa Temmers Boggenpoel, a law professor at Stellenbosch University, noted in a column: 'I am not convinced that the act, in its current form, is the silver bullet to effect large-scale land reform - at least not the type of radical land reform that South Africa urgently needs.' While the law would have a 'severe impact' on property rights, she added, there would be only 'very limited cases' where landowners would not be compensated. The 'white genocide' claim tapped into his Maga support base, reinforcing white supremacist beliefs Though no land has been taken by the state without compensation, Trump's administration in February froze aid to South Africa over claims of 'unjust racial discrimination'. Trump had initially waded into this topic in August 2018, when he announced that Mike Pompeo, then the US secretary of state, had been told to look into 'land and farm seizures' and 'large scale killings of white farmers' in South Africa. These comments were surely influenced by a slew of right-wing American news programmes spotlighting unsubstantiated claims about an epidemic of white farmers being killed in South Africa - even as a Washington Post analysis of crime stats in the country found that farmers were 'far less likely to be the targets of violent crime than the general population'. For Trump, though, it was a win-win scenario. The 'white genocide' claim tapped into his Maga support base, reinforcing white supremacist beliefs about a community supposedly under siege. The Southern Poverty Law Center described Trump's 2018 move as troubling 'because it signifies the mainstreaming of white nationalist narratives about 'white genocide', of which South Africa's farm murders are an essential component'. Other groups concerned about the rise of white supremacy in the US during Trump's first term also weighed in. The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) rejected as 'false' the notion of a 'white genocide' in South Africa, noting in a statement: 'Some white farmers are actually killed each year in South Africa - as are many black farmers and many other South Africans, largely because South Africa is a country with generally high rates of violent crime … For decades, white supremacists globally were cheerleaders for the institutionalized white supremacy of apartheid in South Africa. They have reacted bitterly to the end of the racist policy, and to the progress South Africans have made in pursuit of racial equality and reconciliation.' Notably, the pro-Israel ADL has not issued a statement condemning the latest claims of 'white genocide'. Trump's obfuscation of the actual genocide in Gaza serves its interests. Painful irony Ramaphosa is not guiltless in all of this. The South African president is forever linked with the massacre of 34 Black miners in the small mining town of Marikana in 2012. Ramaphosa, who was not president at the time, was cleared of any wrongdoing by a commission of inquiry. But for many, his role as a director and shareholder at the Lonmin platinum mine, where police shot dead the Black workers at the behest of white capital, is difficult to reconcile. During Ramaphosa's visit to the White House on Wednesday, a reporter asked Trump what it would take for him to change his mind on the 'white genocide' issue. The new fascism: Israel is the template for Trump and Europe's war on freedom Read More » 'It will take President Trump listening to the voices of South Africans, some of whom are his good friends,' Ramaphosa said. That Ramaphosa is seen to have emerged from this interaction with his reputation intact - perhaps even enhanced - after deftly sidestepping accusations that he is overseeing a 'white genocide', while he runs a country where life remains inordinately difficult for Black people as part of the lasting legacy of colonialism and white supremacist rule, is not just irony; it is a cautionary tale. Last year, the unemployment rate among Black South Africans was around 38 percent, compared with eight percent for white South Africans. In a story that involves high levels of inequality, high crime rates, and a systemic lack of opportunities for the majority, it is still white fears - those that once justified apartheid - that the Black South African president must palliate. That he knew, too, that even three decades after apartheid ended, two white South African golfers and a billionaire businessman were his best chance to assuage a US president's 'concerns' over a non-existent 'white genocide' - all to facilitate the sale of critical minerals - is surely the most painful irony of them all. The views expressed in this article belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Middle East Eye.
Zawya
05-05-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Africa Energies Summit in London Must Prioritize Hiring Black Africans
In the evolving and competitive energy landscape of Africa, the Frontier and Africa Energies Summit in London holds a critical position, drawing substantial revenue from the continent's thriving markets. However, there is a glaring issue that the organization cannot afford to ignore: the lack of Black Africans in its workforce. This absence raises serious concerns about the company's commitment to diversity and inclusion, and it's time for Africa Energies Summit to address this inequality. The African Energy Chamber ( has issued a direct call for action, urging the summit to rectify this imbalance by hiring Black Africans. It is deeply disappointing that, despite reaping significant benefits from Africa's economic contributions, Frontier and Africa Energies Summit in London has failed to reflect the continent's rich diversity by hiring Black employees. The company continues to prioritize personal networks in its hiring practices, which perpetuates exclusionary systems. As a result, many highly qualified Black Africans, with the necessary skills and experience, are left outside the company's inner circle. This issue becomes even more perplexing when we consider that Black Africans are not merely passive participants in the success of the Africa Energies Summit; they are active sponsors and contributors to its events and programs. This contradiction calls into question the sincerity of the company's commitment to inclusivity and raises concerns about the integrity of its diversity policies. NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the African Energy Chamber, has highlighted the remarkable progress of the Oil and Gas industry in promoting Africans, especially women, into leadership positions. He praises the industry for fostering entrepreneurship and providing opportunities for Africans to rise to the top. This success serves as a stark reminder that Africans, especially African women, are not only capable but essential to the success of organizations operating within the continent. The African Energy Chamber believes firmly that Black Africans possess the expertise, leadership qualities, and vision required for positions at the highest levels within the Africa Energies Summit. Inclusion is not just a matter of social justice—it is a strategic necessity for a company that depends heavily on Africa's energy market for its revenue. It is time for Frontier and Africa Energies Summit in London to move beyond lip service and show real, meaningful commitment to diversity by empowering Africans within its workforce. The issue at hand goes beyond tokenism; it speaks to the very principles of fairness and equal opportunity. The idea that Africans can contribute to the financial success of the company through large exhibitions, yet are denied equal representation within the organization, is both unacceptable and unsustainable. The time to act is now, and this imbalance must be addressed without delay. While it may be uncomfortable to raise these concerns, the African Energy Chamber is committed to shining a light on uncomfortable truths within the industry. The progress made in the Oil and Gas sector—particularly in the hiring, training, and promotion of Africans—demonstrates that genuine diversity efforts lead to entrepreneurial success and organizational growth. The African Energy Chamber urges Africa Energies Summit in London to adopt similar practices and take lessons from the success stories in the Oil and Gas industry. Countries such as South Africa, Nigeria, Angola, Gambia, Sierra Leone, Kenya, Ghana, Namibia, and Tanzania—along with others that actively support the summit and participate in its events—deserve to see their talent represented at the highest levels of the organization. Africa Energies Summit must step up and ensure that the diversity it benefits from in its African markets is reflected in the diversity of its workforce. "Frontier makes a huge part of its revenue from Africa, yet no Black people are hired within the company. They hire people they know, trust, and like, but we are not part of that circle. I am deeply disappointed. Black Africans are major participants and sponsors of their programs. I believe we are more than capable of doing the job, but there has been no true commitment to hiring or promoting us. We also need to have a serious conversation about why Africa Energies Summit in London isn't hosted in Africa," said NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the African Energy Chamber. The African Energy Chamber calls on Africa Energies Summit in London to recognize the urgent need to address the underrepresentation of Black Africans in leadership roles within its organization. This is a critical opportunity for the summit to prove its commitment to true diversity and inclusivity by embracing the talents, skills, and potential of Africa's brightest minds. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.
Daily Mail
24-04-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Civil servant sues for racism after he is disciplined for going shopping for a vacuum cleaner while supposed to be working from home
A Ministry of Defence civil servant sued for racism after he was disciplined for buying a vacuum cleaner and taking an Uber to the airport while he was supposed to be working from home during the pandemic. Victor Stanley-Idum gave a series of excuses of why he was away from his desk during office hours - including that he needed to go and buy a Hoover, an employment tribunal heard. The Senior Executive Officer caused concern among his bosses due to his 'casual attitude to working hours' which came as he and his colleagues were working remotely and the usual management supervision was 'absent', the hearing was told. As a result he was put on a strict timetable so they could better monitor how he was spending his time, the tribunal was told. But after this his relationship with his managers deteriorated to the point that Mr Stanley-Idum - who is British of Nigerian heritage - sued the MoD for racism, claiming that his boss held a stereotypical view of 'Black Africans being lazy'. However, his claims have been dismissed with the tribunal finding bosses had acted as his working day had become 'unstructured' and he was doing 'things that were unrelated to work'. The hearing - held remotely - was told that Mr Stanley-Idum started work at the MoD as an analyst in April 2017 before being promoted to work as a project manager in the Central Transformation team in April 2020, a month after lockdown began. By the autumn of the following year, however, his managers had significant doubts about his ability to do the job and his 'unorthodox' working style, the tribunal heard. 'The background in October 2021 was the unusual situation in which colleagues were working remotely from each other because of Covid-19 lockdowns and home working, and the usual office interaction and management supervision was almost entirely absent in the case of [Mr Stanley-Idum ] and the department he was working in,' the hearing was told. His boss, Sharon Docherty, became concerned about his 'casual attitude to working hours' and to 'arrangements made with colleagues', the tribunal heard. This included arriving late for a meeting claiming he had had to deal with his council tax bill, failing to tell managers he was moving house and so would be without broadband on a work day and not attending work away days. In addition, he missed a morning's work to pick up family members from the airport. '[Questioned about it] he stated that he had taken his laptop with him, took an Uber taxi and 'conducted my day's affairs while at the airport and in the back of my Uber',' the hearing was told. '[The MoD's] evidence was that the sensitive documents which the team worked on were not held locally on laptops and therefore team members would need to be online to carry out their work. 'The Tribunal found [his] evidence on the extent to which he was able to work at the same time as carrying out this airport run unconvincing.' MoD bosses believed he was giving them 'inconsistent or inaccurate accounts' of what had occurred and issued him with an informal warning for minor misconduct claiming he had 'misrepresented his availability to work'. As part of the warning, Mrs Docherty issued Mr Stanley-Idum with a timetable instructing him to check in and out of work at fixed times. Amid growing concerns about his performance and behaviour, in September 2022 he missed an email inviting him to a meeting because 'he had taken a break and run to the store to buy a new Hoover', the tribunal heard. The project manager unsuccessfully launched a grievance over his treatment claiming Mrs Docherty was invoking 'a racial stereotype of laziness and dishonesty in relation to [him.]' He then sued the MoD for race and disability discrimination, race harassment and victimisation. Many of his claims had been made too late and of those that weren't, none were upheld by the tribunal. Employment Judge Tim Adkin said: 'We find that the reason for the approach taken by Mrs Docherty was entirely that she had become concerned that [his] performance in his role and that working day had become unstructured. 'He was working remotely, as indeed were most of his colleagues. There were a series of concerns raised about his output and it was difficult to monitor what [he]t was workingon. 'There is evidence that was taking time during the working day to do things that were unrelated to work. 'We have not formed the impression based on all the evidence in this case that Mrs Docherty held a stereotypical view of Black Africans being lazy or dishonest nor indeed that that was a widely held stereotype.'
Yahoo
16-03-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Royal Institution to reveal ‘racist' views of scientists
The Royal Institution (RI) is to tell visitors to its Faraday Museum whether scientists were racist or had links to slavery. A review is under way at the London headquarters of the 226-year-old organisation to add context to exhibits of scientists who held views considered racist by modern standards. Plans are being drawn up by the charity to provide 'permanent interpretation' on displays which feature prominent historical figures that held problematic views. The institution was founded in the 18th century and is now a charity which helps teach and communicate science to the public through lectures and demonstrations. It is best known for its Christmas lectures which air on television. Humphry Davy, the famed English chemist and speaker, is the focal point of a display at the museum. The early 19th-century scientist invented the Davy lamp which is used in mining and is also thought to have been the inspiration for Dr Frankenstein in Mary Shelley's novel. The RI holds many of Davy's private notebooks and a research project led by Lancaster University recently digitised the writings. The work revealed Davy's family owned slaves in Antigua as well as exposing Davy's own views on race. The scientists found that Davy believed in a discredited theory that skin colour could be changed by the environment. Dr Eleanor Bird, a transatlantic slave trade expert at Lancaster University, wrote in a study published in the Royal Society journal Notes and Records that Davy 'articulated racist sentiments about the inferiority of black people and their lack of intellectual capacity'. The Davy Notebooks Project of the RI and Lancaster University saw his notebooks transcribed by volunteers. 'It was during the pilot project phase that volunteers helped to uncover some of Davy's racist views in notebook 13F, now held at the Royal Institution, where the majority of Davy's 83 notebooks are held today,' Dr Bird told The Telegraph. 'Davy's developing opinion that racial difference was somehow fixed and essential ['hereditary'] are extremely problematic and jarring by today's standards. 'When he was a teenager, Davy wrote about the role that climate played in shaping human difference and viewed humans as largely changeable according to their environment, and expressed racist attitudes towards Black Africans. 'It appears that his views hardened across his lifetime towards seeing difference, including racial difference, as fixed and 'hereditary'.' In 1812, Davy married Jane Kerr who inherited wealth from her father, Charles Kerr, who owned 40 slaves. Her step-father, Robert Fawquah, owned slaves in Antigua and Grenada. Dr Bird called in her study for the RI, where Davy lectured, to consider raising awareness of his 'scientific racism' and financial links to the slave trade. She told The Telegraph that Davy's views and connections 'should be represented within the permanent exhibition about Davy at the Royal Institution of Great Britain'. The RI told The Telegraph that it acknowledges it has a duty to address elements of its past that are 'rightly considered abhorrent today'. It has plans to add permanent interpretation to its free museum, which it hopes will ensure 'full context is visible to all visitors'. The museum is currently in the process of deciding what form the added context should take but other institutions that have done similar projects have added signs or provided QR codes so visitors can read more about the complex past of individuals on their phones. Katherine Mathieson, director of the RI, said: 'There are many scientific discoveries and advances in the 226-year history of the Royal Institution of which we are rightly proud. 'But like any organisation of significant age, there are also elements of our past that we should not and do not celebrate today; they do not reflect the RI's values, nor those of us who work here today to make the RI a home of science where everyone is welcome. 'We know that we have a responsibility to properly represent the RI's contribution to the history of scientific advance in the UK; both the good and the abhorrent. So we are really proud that our joint work with Lancaster University on the Davy Notebooks Project is freely available to researchers, and represents a further step forward in sharing the full picture of our past with new audiences. 'The scholarly work published by the Royal Society is exactly the kind of examination we wanted to see from our digitisation of Davy's notebooks – and I'm pleased to see the author has also suggested permanent interpretation in our free museum – and we are keen to work with others to further raise awareness and aid interpretation. 'Our goal is to learn from our past to help ensure the RI of today and the RI of the future is an inclusive and welcoming space for everyone.' Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Telegraph
16-03-2025
- Science
- Telegraph
Royal Institution to reveal ‘racist' views of scientists
The Royal Institution (RI) is to tell visitors to its Faraday Museum whether scientists were racist or had links to slavery. A review is under way at the London headquarters of the 226-year-old organisation to add context to exhibits of scientists who held views considered racist by modern standards. Plans are being drawn up by the charity to provide 'permanent interpretation' on displays which feature prominent historical figures that held problematic views. The institution was founded in the 18th century and is now a charity which helps teach and communicate science to the public through lectures and demonstrations. It is best known for its Christmas lectures which air on television. Humphry Davy, the famed English chemist and speaker, is the focal point of a display at the museum. The early 19th-century scientist invented the Davy lamp which is used in mining and is also thought to have been the inspiration for Dr Frankenstein in Mary Shelley's novel. The RI holds many of Davy's private notebooks and a research project led by Lancaster University recently digitised the writings. The work revealed Davy's family owned slaves in Antigua as well as exposing Davy's own views on race. The scientists found that Davy believed in a discredited theory that skin colour could be changed by the environment. 'Davy's views are jarring by today's standards' Dr Eleanor Bird, a transatlantic slave trade expert at Lancaster University, wrote in a study published in the Royal Society journal Notes and Records that Davy 'articulated racist sentiments about the inferiority of black people and their lack of intellectual capacity'. The Davy Notebooks Project of the RI and Lancaster University saw his notebooks transcribed by volunteers. 'It was during the pilot project phase that volunteers helped to uncover some of Davy's racist views in notebook 13F, now held at the Royal Institution, where the majority of Davy's 83 notebooks are held today,' Dr Bird told The Telegraph. 'Davy's developing opinion that racial difference was somehow fixed and essential ['hereditary'] are extremely problematic and jarring by today's standards. 'When he was a teenager, Davy wrote about the role that climate played in shaping human difference and viewed humans as largely changeable according to their environment, and expressed racist attitudes towards Black Africans. 'It appears that his views hardened across his lifetime towards seeing difference, including racial difference, as fixed and 'hereditary'.' In 1812, Davy married Jane Kerr who inherited wealth from her father, Charles Kerr, who owned 40 slaves. Her step-father, Robert Fawquah, owned slaves in Antigua and Grenada. Dr Bird called in her study for the RI, where Davy lectured, to consider raising awareness of his 'scientific racism' and financial links to the slave trade. She told The Telegraph that Davy's views and connections 'should be represented within the permanent exhibition about Davy at the Royal Institution of Great Britain'. The RI told The Telegraph that it acknowledges it has a duty to address elements of its past that are 'rightly considered abhorrent today'. It has plans to add permanent interpretation to its free museum, which it hopes will ensure 'full context is visible to all visitors'. The museum is currently in the process of deciding what form the added context should take but other institutions that have done similar projects have added signs or provided QR codes so visitors can read more about the complex past of individuals on their phones. Katherine Mathieson, director of the RI, said: 'There are many scientific discoveries and advances in the 226-year history of the Royal Institution of which we are rightly proud. 'But like any organisation of significant age, there are also elements of our past that we should not and do not celebrate today; they do not reflect the RI's values, nor those of us who work here today to make the RI a home of science where everyone is welcome. 'We know that we have a responsibility to properly represent the RI's contribution to the history of scientific advance in the UK; both the good and the abhorrent. So we are really proud that our joint work with Lancaster University on the Davy Notebooks Project is freely available to researchers, and represents a further step forward in sharing the full picture of our past with new audiences. 'The scholarly work published by the Royal Society is exactly the kind of examination we wanted to see from our digitisation of Davy's notebooks – and I'm pleased to see the author has also suggested permanent interpretation in our free museum – and we are keen to work with others to further raise awareness and aid interpretation. 'Our goal is to learn from our past to help ensure the RI of today and the RI of the future is an inclusive and welcoming space for everyone.'
