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The South African
14-05-2025
- Politics
- The South African
SA confirms citizenship of 49 Afrikaners [video]
Watch the full version of the ' Are 49 Afrikaner 'refugees' still South African citizens?' article – in a minute. A group of 49 South African/Afrikaners 'refugees' who recently resettled in the United States has sparked debate over their citizenship status. According to immigration lawyer Chris Watters, these individuals cannot be deprived of their South African citizenship despite their decision to leave the country. 'By definition, they are fleeing because they cannot get protection from the South African government (or the government refuses to give them protection) regarding the [supposed] serious harm they face in South Africa,' Watters said to TimesLive . He added that this created a paradox. Watters pointed to a recent Constitutional Court ruling on dual citizenship, confirming that no South African may be deprived of citizenship. Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Ronald Lamola's spokesperson, Chrispin Phiri, supports this view, confirming that Section 20 of the South African Constitution protects citizens from being deprived of citizenship. Looking for quick updates? Watch News in a Minute videos on The South African's YouTube page for all the key stories you need to know! Catch all the latest videos on news, lifestyle, travel, sports and more – there's always something to watch! Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and BlueSky to stay connected and get your news on the go!
The South African
14-05-2025
- Politics
- The South African
DIRCO confirms 49 Afrikaners who fled to US remain SA citizens
A group of 49 South African refugees recently relocated to the United States has sparked debate over their citizenship status. According to immigration lawyer Chris Watters, these individuals cannot be deprived of their South African citizenship despite their decision to leave the country. 'By definition, they are fleeing because they cannot get protection from the South African government (or the government refuses to give them protection) regarding the serious harm they face in South Africa,' Watters said to TimesLive . He added that this creates a paradox: 'They cannot have it both ways,' highlighting that seeking refugee status in the US implies a need for protection from harm in South Africa, yet they may still require consular assistance from the South African government as citizens. Watters pointed to a recent Constitutional Court ruling on dual citizenship, confirming that no South African may be deprived of citizenship. DIRCO spokesperson Chrispin Phiri supports this view, confirming that Section 20 of the South African Constitution protects citizens from being deprived of citizenship. However, Watters noted that if they returned to South Africa, they would likely have to abandon their refugee status. He added that once the parents naturalise as US citizens, their children would automatically become US citizens. Under the 1951 Refugee Convention, refugees must demonstrate a well-founded fear of persecution. South African authorities argue that white Afrikaners, as a group, do not meet this threshold, a stance echoed by International Relations and Co-operation Minister Ronald Lamola. Lamola stated that the group doesn't fit the international definition of refugees, citing a lack of persecution of white Afrikaners. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 0211. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X, and Bluesky for the latest news.
The Herald
14-05-2025
- Politics
- The Herald
'Afrikaans refugees' are still South African citizens: immigration lawyer
The 49 South African refugees who left the country for the US cannot be deprived of their South African citizenship, an immigration lawyer says. As the group arrived in the US on Monday, an immigration lawyer, Chris Watters, said they could not have it both ways, meaning they could not use the South African embassy's services while in the US. 'By definition, they are fleeing because they cannot get protection from the South African government (or the government refuses to give them protection) in respect of the serious harm they face in South Africa.' 'They cannot have it both ways,' he said, adding that leaving the country also meant that they could not travel on their South African passports as that would be invoking the protection of the South African government, should they need consular assistance. Watters said, realistically, there was no way of knowing what arguments and/or evidence each of the applicants had put to the US authorities to justify claims that they had 'fled' the country because they feared persecution and serious harm in South Africa on account of their race, ethnicity, or political opinion if they had to return. Watters said the UN Refugee Convention stipulates that the refugee determination process has to be strictly confidential. 'These claims are both forward-looking and backward-looking. So, the case for each would be made out on the basis of what they claim has happened to them, their family or friends in the past in South Africa,' he said. He said the recent Constitutional Court ruling on dual citizenship confirms that no South African may be deprived of their citizenship. He added that any of the group may return to South Africa at any stage, which would mean, though, that they would be abandoning their refugee status. He added that at a certain point, they might qualify to naturalise as US citizens. 'If/once the parents naturalise, the children automatically become US citizens,' he said. On Tuesday, international relations and co-operation (Dirco) minister Ronald Lamola said that in line with the international definition, the group did not qualify for refugee status as there was no persecution of white Afrikaners. Lawyers for Human Rights declined to comment on the status of the group. 'A ny questions about Afrikaners going to the US as refugees should be put to the US embassy itself, because the US definition of a refugee has deviated from the internationally established legal definition and applicable legal framework,' the organisation said. Dirco spokesperson Chrispin Phiri confirmed that in terms of section 20 of the constitution, no South African may be deprived of their citizenship. TimesLIVE
TimesLIVE
13-05-2025
- Politics
- TimesLIVE
'Afrikaans refugees' are still South African citizens: immigration lawyer
The 49 South African refugees who left the country for the US cannot be deprived of their South African citizenship, an immigration lawyer says. As the group arrived in the US on Monday, an immigration lawyer, Chris Watters, said they could not have it both ways, meaning they could not use the South African embassy's services while in the US. 'By definition, they are fleeing because they cannot get protection from the South African government (or the government refuses to give them protection) in respect of the serious harm they face in South Africa.' 'They cannot have it both ways,' he said, adding that leaving the country also meant that they could not travel on their South African passports as that would be invoking the protection of the South African government, should they need consular assistance. Watters said, realistically, there was no way of knowing what arguments and/or evidence each of the applicants had put to the US authorities to justify claims that they had 'fled' the country because they feared persecution and serious harm in South Africa on account of their race, ethnicity, or political opinion if they had to return. Watters said the UN Refugee Convention stipulates that the refugee determination process has to be strictly confidential. 'These claims are both forward-looking and backward-looking. So, the case for each would be made out on the basis of what they claim has happened to them, their family or friends in the past in South Africa,' he said. He said the recent Constitutional Court ruling on dual citizenship confirms that no South African may be deprived of their citizenship. He added that any of the group may return to South Africa at any stage, which would mean, though, that they would be abandoning their refugee status. He added that at a certain point, they might qualify to naturalise as US citizens. 'If/once the parents naturalise, the children automatically become US citizens,' he said. On Tuesday, international relations and co-operation (Dirco) minister Ronald Lamola said that in line with the international definition, the group did not qualify for refugee status as there was no persecution of white Afrikaners. Lawyers for Human Rights declined to comment on the status of the group. 'Any questions about Afrikaners going to the US as refugees should be put to the US embassy itself, because the US definition of a refugee has deviated from the internationally established legal definition and applicable legal framework,' the organisation said.
