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News18
22-05-2025
- Politics
- News18
What Is ‘White Genocide' In South Africa As Claimed By Donald Trump & Elon Musk? Explained
Last Updated: Reports suggest that the South African government is expropriating land from white farmers through violent land seizures in order to distribute it to Black South Africans US President Donald Trump confronted South African President Cyril Ramaphosa by playing a video that he falsely claimed proved genocide was being committed against White people – 'the opposite of Apartheid". Trump's brusque stunt on Wednesday was the most tense Oval Office encounter since his unprecedented public meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in March. What Is White Genocide Conspiracy Theory? Let us understand how the claims of white genocide have been circulated over the years, with Trump being the most recent leader propagating the theory. 1. The theory of genocide of white farmers in South Africa has been propagated by some fringe groups of white South Africans since the end of apartheid in 1994. It has been circulating in global far-right chat rooms for at least a decade, with the vocal support of Trump's ally, South African-born Elon Musk. They accuse the Black-majority led government of being complicit in the farm murders, either by encouraging them or at least turning a blind eye. The government strongly denies this. 2. Trump has long maintained that Afrikaners, a minority descended from mainly Dutch colonists who ruled South Africa during its decades of racial apartheid, are being persecuted. He played a video clip that showed a long line of white crosses on the side of a highway, which Trump said were 'burial sites" for white farmers. The clip was made in September 2020 during a protest against farm murders. The crosses did not mark actual graves. An organizer told South Africa's public broadcaster, SABC, at the time that the wooden crosses represented farmers who had been killed over the years, as mentioned in a Reuters report. 3. There are reports that the South African government is expropriating land from white farmers without compensation, including through violent land seizures, in order to distribute it to Black South Africans. The government has a policy of attempting to redress inequalities in land ownership that are a legacy of apartheid and colonialism. But no land has been expropriated, and the government has instead tried to encourage white farmers to sell their land willingly. A Reuters report says that some three-quarters of privately-owned farmland is still in the hands of whites, who comprise 8% of the population, while 4% is owned by Blacks who make up 80% of the population. 4. In February, a South African judge dismissed the idea of a genocide as 'clearly imagined" and 'not real", when ruling in an inheritance case involving a wealthy benefactor's donation to white supremacist group Boerelegioen. 5. South Africa does not release crime figures based on race but the latest figures revealed that 6,953 people were murdered in the country between October and December 2024. Who Are Afrikaners? Modern Afrikaners are descendants of Western Europe who settled on the southern top of Africa during the middle of the 17th Century. A mixture of Dutch (34.8%), German (33.7%) and French (13.2%) settlers, they formed a 'unique cultural group" which identified itself 'completely with African soil", according to South African History Online. They speak Afrikaans, which is quite similar to Dutch. But as they settled down in Africa, Afrikaners as well as White people forced Blacks to leave their land. Afrikaans, also known as Boers, mainly belong to the farming community. In 1948, South Africa's Afrikaner-led government began practising apartheid, and took racial segregation to a more extreme level. Inter-race marriages were banned, skilled and semi-skilled jobs were restricted to White people and Blacks were forced to live in their homelands. They were also denied education, with Afrikaner leader Hendrik Verwoerd infamously remarking in the 1950s that 'blacks should never be shown the greener pastures of education. They should know their station in life is to be hewers of wood and drawers of water." Their dominance ended in 1994 when Blacks were allowed to vote and Nelson Mandela and the African National Congress came to power. The 2.5 million Afrikaners form roughly 4% of the South Africa's total 60 million population. How Are Trump And Musk Supporting The Claim? The Trump Oval Office meeting where he ambushed his counterpart Ramaphosa was also attended by Elon Musk, who was born in South Africa. Trump also said he was not sure how he could attend the G20 summit of world leaders, due to be held in South Africa later this year, in such an environment. The US president has given members of Afrikaner community refugee status over genocide allegations despite his administration halting arrivals of asylum seekers as he cracks down on immigration. More than 70,000 Afrikaners have expressed interest in moving to the US, with about 50 of them arriving in the country to take up Trump's offer of 'refuge". Meanwhile, South Africa will reportedly offer Musk a deal to operate his Starlink satellite internet network in the country. The Tesla and SpaceX boss has accused Pretoria of 'openly racist" laws, a reference to post-apartheid Black empowerment policies seen as a hurdle to the licensing of Starlink.
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Is there a white genocide in South Africa? Examining Trump's Oval Office claim
President Donald Trump claimed there is an ongoing "genocide" against white farmers in South Africa during a tense meeting with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa in the Oval Office on Wednesday. Ramaphosa, major political parties in South Africa and a South African judge, however, have denied the existence of a white genocide in the country. Elon Musk, a South African native and a top adviser to Trump, was present for Ramaphosa's visit to the White House. He has also previously voiced Trump's allegations that white South Africans are fleeing the country due to "violence and racist laws." MORE: Trump confronts South Africa's president in Oval Office, pushes false claims of white genocide In February 2025, a South African court ruled that claims of white genocide were unfounded, calling them "not real" and "clearly imagined." The ruling came after a wealthy benefactor in the country wanted to donate $2.1 million to the white supremacist group Boerelegioen, which was denied by the court. While claims of a white genocide have been disallowed by the court, it is true that there is a problem with farmers being murdered in South Africa. MORE: Trump administration faces criticism for prioritizing white South African refugees These murders are brutal, and the overall murder rate in South Africa is high, with 45 murders per 100,000 people, according to data collected in 2023, but there is no indication that these murders are race-driven. South African crime statistics do not differentiate between the races of victims, and there is no specific category for farm murders. During the Oval Office meeting with Trump, Ramaphosa said, "There is criminality in our country. People who do get killed, unfortunately, through criminal activity are not only white people, majority of them are Black people." South Africa's Presidential Spokesperson Vincent Magwenya told ABC News there is 'no evidence' to support the claims of genocide and alleged that the United States' foreign intelligence would reiterate that. 'There is no evidence of what's being claimed here. The U.S. has very sophisticated intelligence gathering mechanism. I can tell you now, if your intelligence community were willing to come out and speak, they'll tell you that what is being propagated here is completely false,' Magwenya said. The White House released a statement after the meeting titled "President Trump is Right About What's Happening in South Africa," doubling down on the administration's unfounded claims of genocide happening in the nation. The statement has a list of press clippings that they say supports their position that a genocide is happening in the country, pointing to articles from Fox News, Breitbart and the BBC. Many of the clippings in the release refer to individual acts or threats of violence. Amid Trump and Musk's continued claims of genocide, dozens of Afrikaner refugees arrived in the U.S. last week after having their applications fast-tracked under an executive order issued by Trump in February titled "Addressing Egregious Actions of the Republic of South Africa." The order contends the South African government passed a law allowing it to "seize ethnic minority Afrikaners' agricultural property without compensation" in a "shocking disregard of its citizens' rights." It instructs that the U.S. will not provide aid or assistance to the nation, and that the U.S. will "promote the resettlement of Afrikaner refugees." Trump has been criticized for prioritizing Afrikaners while moving to restrict immigration from elsewhere, including from Afghanistan, Venezuela and Haiti. Is there a white genocide in South Africa? Examining Trump's Oval Office claim originally appeared on
Time of India
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Is 'white genocide' real in South Africa? Unpacking Donald Trump's Oval Office claim
Meeting between the presidents of South Africa and USA A meeting between US President Donald Trump and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa at the White House has reignited a heated and controversial debate: Is there a 'white genocide' happening in South Africa? Trump is backed by Elon Musk who was born in South Africa and now serves as a senior adviser in the Trump administration. The US president claimed during the Oval Office meeting on Wednesday that white South African farmers are being 'slaughtered' and forced off their land in what he called an ongoing genocide. 'Now this is very bad,' Trump said, pointing to a video shown at the White House. 'These are burial sites right here… over a thousand… of White farmers.' He described a scene with white crosses on both sides of a road, claiming they marked the graves of murdered white farmers, adding, 'I've never seen anything like it.' Ramaphosa pushes back: 'We need to find out' Ramaphosa appeared taken aback by the footage and asked, 'Have they told you where that is, Mr. President? I'd like to know where that is. Because this I've never seen.' Trump replied: 'I mean, it's in South Africa, that's where.' Ramaphosa responded, 'We need to find out.' Ramaphosa also firmly denied the genocide claims, stating: 'There is criminality in our country. People who do get killed, unfortunately, through criminal activity are not only white people, majority of them are Black people.' by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 5 Books Warren Buffett Wants You to Read In 2025 Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo South Africa's Presidential Spokesperson Vincent Magwenya also rejected Trump's claims, telling ABC News, 'There is no evidence of what's being claimed here. The US has very sophisticated intelligence gathering… they'll tell you that what is being propagated here is completely false.' Court ruling: 'Not real' and 'clearly imagined' In February 2025, a South African court ruled that the notion of white genocide was 'not real' and 'clearly imagined.' The judgment was made in a case involving a wealthy donor who wanted to give $2.1 million to a white supremacist group, the Boerelegioen. The donation was blocked. Attacks on farmers in South Africa are a real concern, and the country has a high murder rate of 45 per 100,000 people, reports ABC news. However, officials say there's no evidence these crimes are racially motivated, as police records don't track the victim's race or list 'farm murders' as a separate category. Trump doubles down with executive order Despite pushback from South Africa, Trump administration continues to stand by its claims. The White House issued a statement titled 'President Trump is Right About What's Happening in South Africa,' citing articles from media outlets like Fox News, Breitbart, and the BBC. However, many of the examples referenced individual incidents of violence, not organised genocide. Under an executive order signed in February titled 'Addressing Egregious Actions of the Republic of South Africa,' Trump suspended US aid to the country and directed fast-tracked resettlement for Afrikaner refugees , white South Africans of Dutch descent. Last week, 50 Afrikaners arrived in the US under the new policy. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said 'more are to come.' Trump told Ramaphosa, 'We have had a tremendous number of people… generally they're White farmers and they're fleeing South Africa.' Critics say Trump is cherry-picking refugees The decision to prioritise white South African refugees has sparked backlash, especially as Trump continues to restrict immigration from countries like Afghanistan, Haiti, and Venezuela. When asked by a reporter what he wanted Ramaphosa to do about the situation shown on screen, Trump replied, 'I don't know. I don't know," reports Fox news. 'I'm not going to be repeating what I've been saying,' Ramaphosa said. 'If there was Afrikaner farmer genocide, I can bet you these three gentlemen would not be here, including my Minister of Agriculture.' Musk backs Trump's narrative Elon Musk has previously voiced concerns similar to Trump's. Musk has claimed that white South Africans are leaving due to 'violence and racist laws.' While some Afrikaner communities in South Africa express fears over land expropriation and crime, South African officials maintain that these issues affect all citizens, and there is no evidence to support a claim of racially targeted genocide.
21-05-2025
- Politics
Is there a white genocide in South Africa? Examining Trump's Oval Office claim
President Donald Trump claimed there is an ongoing "genocide" against white farmers in South Africa during a tense meeting with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa in the Oval Office on Wednesday. Ramaphosa, major political parties in South Africa and a South African judge, however, have denied the existence of a white genocide in the country. Elon Musk, a South African native and a top adviser to Trump, was present for Ramaphosa's visit to the White House. He has also previously voiced Trump's allegations that white South Africans are fleeing the country due to "violence and racist laws." In February 2025, a South African court ruled that claims of white genocide were unfounded, calling them "not real" and "clearly imagined." The ruling came after a wealthy benefactor in the country wanted to donate $2.1 million to the white supremacist group Boerelegioen, which was denied by the court. While claims of a white genocide have been disallowed by the court, it is true that there is a problem with farmers being murdered in South Africa. These murders are brutal, and the overall murder rate in South Africa is high, with 45 murders per 100,000 people, according to data collected in 2023, but there is no indication that these murders are race-driven. South African crime statistics do not differentiate between the races of victims, and there is no specific category for farm murders. During the Oval Office meeting with Trump, Ramaphosa said, "There is criminality in our country. People who do get killed, unfortunately, through criminal activity are not only white people, majority of them are Black people." South Africa's Presidential Spokesperson Vincent Magwenya told ABC News there is 'no evidence' to support the claims of genocide and alleged that the United States' foreign intelligence would reiterate that. 'There is no evidence of what's being claimed here. The U.S. has very sophisticated intelligence gathering mechanism. I can tell you now, if your intelligence community were willing to come out and speak, they'll tell you that what is being propagated here is completely false,' Magwenya said. Amid Trump and Musk's continued claims of genocide, dozens of Afrikaner refugees arrived in the U.S. last week after having their applications fast-tracked under an executive order issued by Trump in February titled "Addressing Egregious Actions of the Republic of South Africa." The order contends the South African government passed a law allowing it to "seize ethnic minority Afrikaners' agricultural property without compensation" in a "shocking disregard of its citizens' rights." It instructs that the U.S. will not provide aid or assistance to the nation, and that the U.S. will "promote the resettlement of Afrikaner refugees." Trump has been criticized for prioritizing Afrikaners while moving to restrict immigration from elsewhere, including from Afghanistan, Venezuela and Haiti.
Washington Post
27-02-2025
- Politics
- Washington Post
‘White genocide' in South Africa is not real, court rules in estate case
A South African court has dismissed claims of a 'white genocide' in the country as 'clearly imagined and not real,' as part of a ruling that blocked a bequest to an organization described in court documents as a white-supremacist group. In his will, a man named Grantland Michael Bray left part of his estate to Boerelegioen, a group he allegedly said would 'exterminate every black person in South Africa,' according to court documents. Boerelegioen, which describes itself on its website as a 'civil defense movement,' says it enables resistance against 'the promised slaughter of whites' in South Africa and 'the theft of their property.'
