Latest news with #Kleynhans
a day ago
- Business
'20% of Afrikaners have left SA' - Here's why...
More Afrikaners are choosing to leave South Africa and seek refugee status in the US. According to the Solidarity Movement, the migration of white South Africans has been an ongoing occurrence over a lack of employment opportunities. Last week, a second batch of the minority group left the country under the resettlement plan. Thousands more are expected to follow them. According to Solidarity Movement spokesperson Jaco Kleynhans, up to 8 000 white Afrikaners will take up refugee status in the US over the coming weeks. However, thousands more have left before them. He posted on his X account: '20% of Afrikaners have already left the country permanently or temporarily because they could not find work here. The white unemployment rate is completely skewed. 'Hundreds of thousands of Afrikaners have been pushed out of the formal labor market and have started their own businesses or emigrated. Like Kleynhans, many white South Africans believe 'race laws' harm their chances of employment. Jaco Kleynhans's claims about the white population – which includes Afrikaners – fall in line with statistics. According to a 2022 census, white South Africans made up 7.3% of the total population, which is about 4.5 million people. Of that, around 3 million are Afrikaners. Over the years, reports indicate the following decline in the white population 2011 – 9% 2016 – 8,1 % 2021 – 7,8 % Although stats reveal a dip in unemployment, the Commission for Employment Equity noted that white people still occupy 62,1% of top management level posts while Black people occupied 13.8% According to many recruitment agencies, many Afrikaners immigrate to other countries for farm work opportunities abroad. 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.
Miami Herald
a day ago
- General
- Miami Herald
More White Refugees Arriving In America: What to Know
More white Afrikaners from South Africa have arrived in America as refugees and Newsweek has broken down what you need to know. Newsweek has contacted the U.S. Embassy in Pretoria, the State Department and the South Africa's Department of International Relations and Cooperation, via email, for comment. A group of 59 people made headlines in May when they arrived on a chartered flight at Dulles International Airport in Virginia as party of the Afrikaner resettlement program. Donald Trump's administration believes that Afrikaners are being persecuted in South Africa as victims of racially-motivated violence – something vehemently denied by the South African government. The program came despite Trump's suspension of the State Department's refugee admissions program, which he said at the time was because the U.S. "lacks the ability to absorb large numbers of migrants, and in particular, refugees, into its communities in a manner that does not compromise the availability of resources for Americans, that protects their safety and security, and that ensures the appropriate assimilation of refugees." A small group of Afrikaners, including children, quietly arrived in Atlanta on a commercial flight on Friday, said Jaco Kleynhans, head of Public Relations for the trade union Solidarity, which has helped some applicants with parts of the Afrikaner refugee process. "They are settling in states across the USA, but particularly southern states such as Texas, North and South Carolina, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Nebraska," Kleynhans told the South African media outlet Independent Online (IOL). This group consisted of nine people, according to the Associated Press which also cited Kleynhans. Several more groups are expected to fly to the U.S. over the next few weeks with the U.S. Embassy in Pretoria and the State Department in Washington, D.C., currently processing 8,000 applications, according to Kleynhans. A spokesperson for the U.S. Embassy said: "Refugees continue to arrive in the United States from South Africa on commercial flights as part of the Afrikaner resettlement program's ongoing operations." The U.S. is "reaching out to eligible individuals for refugee interviews and processing," a spokesperson from the U.S. Mission to South Africa told local outlet News24. Nearly 50,000 South Africans have inquired about the resettlement program, the U.S. State Department told The New York Times. Kleynhanssaid: "The American refugee programs are paid for by American taxpayers and it is outrageous that international organizations and foreign groups think they can dictate to the Trump administration who should be eligible for refugee status. If Americans disagree with Trump on this, they can elect a different president in three years." South Africa's Ministry of International Relations and Cooperation has previously said in a statement about the issue: "It is most regrettable that it appears that the resettlement of South Africans to the United States under the guise of being 'refugees' is entirely politically motivated and designed to question South Africa's constitutional democracy; a country which has in fact suffered true persecution under Apartheid rule and has worked tirelessly to prevent such levels of discrimination from ever occurring again." South African President Cyril Ramaphosa told reporters on May 17: "There's no genocide in South Africa. That is a fact that's borne out of a lot of evidence." White House deputy chief of staff and Homeland Security adviser Stephen Miller defended the program to reporters, saying: "What's happening in South Africa fits the textbook definition of why the refugee program was created. This is race-based persecution. The refugee program is not intended as a solution for global poverty, and historically, it has been used that way." More Afrikaners are expected to arrive in the United States, depending on the outcome of their refugee status applications. Applicants "must be able to articulate a past experience of persecution or fear of future persecution," a guide to the program says. 2025 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.
Newsweek
a day ago
- General
- Newsweek
More White Refugees Arriving In America: What to Know
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. More white Afrikaners from South Africa have arrived in America as refugees and Newsweek has broken down what you need to know. Newsweek has contacted the U.S. Embassy in Pretoria, the State Department and the South Africa's Department of International Relations and Cooperation, via email, for comment. Why It Matters A group of 59 people made headlines in May when they arrived on a chartered flight at Dulles International Airport in Virginia as party of the Afrikaner resettlement program. Donald Trump's administration believes that Afrikaners are being persecuted in South Africa as victims of racially-motivated violence – something vehemently denied by the South African government. The program came despite Trump's suspension of the State Department's refugee admissions program, which he said at the time was because the U.S. "lacks the ability to absorb large numbers of migrants, and in particular, refugees, into its communities in a manner that does not compromise the availability of resources for Americans, that protects their safety and security, and that ensures the appropriate assimilation of refugees." Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau, left, greets the first group of Afrikaner refugees from South Africa at Dulles International Airport in Dulles, Virginia, on May 12, 2025. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau, left, greets the first group of Afrikaner refugees from South Africa at Dulles International Airport in Dulles, Virginia, on May 12, 2025. AP What To Know A small group of Afrikaners, including children, quietly arrived in Atlanta on a commercial flight on Friday, said Jaco Kleynhans, head of Public Relations for the trade union Solidarity, which has helped some applicants with parts of the Afrikaner refugee process. "They are settling in states across the USA, but particularly southern states such as Texas, North and South Carolina, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Nebraska," Kleynhans told the South African media outlet Independent Online (IOL). This group consisted of nine people, according to the Associated Press which also cited Kleynhans. Several more groups are expected to fly to the U.S. over the next few weeks with the U.S. Embassy in Pretoria and the State Department in Washington, D.C., currently processing 8,000 applications, according to Kleynhans. A spokesperson for the U.S. Embassy said: "Refugees continue to arrive in the United States from South Africa on commercial flights as part of the Afrikaner resettlement program's ongoing operations." The U.S. is "reaching out to eligible individuals for refugee interviews and processing," a spokesperson from the U.S. Mission to South Africa told local outlet News24. Nearly 50,000 South Africans have inquired about the resettlement program, the U.S. State Department told The New York Times. What People Are Saying Kleynhans said: "The American refugee programs are paid for by American taxpayers and it is outrageous that international organizations and foreign groups think they can dictate to the Trump administration who should be eligible for refugee status. If Americans disagree with Trump on this, they can elect a different president in three years." South Africa's Ministry of International Relations and Cooperation has previously said in a statement about the issue: "It is most regrettable that it appears that the resettlement of South Africans to the United States under the guise of being 'refugees' is entirely politically motivated and designed to question South Africa's constitutional democracy; a country which has in fact suffered true persecution under Apartheid rule and has worked tirelessly to prevent such levels of discrimination from ever occurring again." South African President Cyril Ramaphosa told reporters on May 17: "There's no genocide in South Africa. That is a fact that's borne out of a lot of evidence." White House deputy chief of staff and Homeland Security adviser Stephen Miller defended the program to reporters, saying: "What's happening in South Africa fits the textbook definition of why the refugee program was created. This is race-based persecution. The refugee program is not intended as a solution for global poverty, and historically, it has been used that way." What Happens Next More Afrikaners are expected to arrive in the United States, depending on the outcome of their refugee status applications. Applicants "must be able to articulate a past experience of persecution or fear of future persecution," a guide to the program says.
IOL News
3 days ago
- Politics
- IOL News
Second group of white Afrikaners arrives in the US amid Trump's resettlement offer
The second batch of Afrikaner refugees arrived in the US on Friday. Pictured are US President Donald Trump and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, during a meeting which aimed to clear misinformation about genocide claims. A small batch of white Afrikaners quietly arrived in the US on Friday, as part of President Donald Trump's offer to resettle them amidst false claims of white genocide and persecution in South Africa. They are part of 8,000 who will be resettled within the next few months, according to Jaco Kleynhans, head of Public Relations for trade union Solidarity. Last month the first group of more than 49 white South African Afrikaners landed in the United States after a private plane was chartered for them. This after Trump in February issued an executive order where Washington cited the Expropriation Act 13 of 2024 as one that enables the persecution of Afrikaners. Kleynhans said the second group departed on a commercial flight on Thursday that landed in Atlanta in the US on Friday. 'It is a smaller group, including children. Several more groups will fly to the USA over the next few weeks. The US Embassy in Pretoria, in collaboration with the State Department in Washington DC, is currently processing 8,000 applications, and we expect many more Afrikaner refugees to travel to the USA over the next few months. "They are settling in states across the USA, but particularly southern states such as Texas, North and South Carolina, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Nebraska,' Kleynhans said. Reports indicate that the US embassy in South Africa is aware that 'refugees continue to arrive in the United States from South Africa on commercial flights as part of the Afrikaner resettlement programme's ongoing operations'. Solidarity said it has helped some people understand the application process better and referred them to the right people at the US embassy. They have also assisted the US government in determining the criteria for Afrikaner refugee status.
IOL News
3 days ago
- Politics
- IOL News
Second group of white Afrikaners arrive in the US to take up Trump's offer of resettlement
The second batch of Afrikaner refugees arrived in the US on Friday. Pictured are US President Donald Trump and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, during a meeting which aimed to clear misinformation about genocide claims. Image: Jim WATSON / AFP A small batch of white Afrikaners quietly arrived in the US on Friday, as part of President Donald Trump's offer to resettle them amidst false claims of white genocide and persecution in South Africa. They are part of 8,000 who will be resettled within the next few months, according to Jaco Kleynhans, head of Public Relations for trade union Solidarity. Last month the first group of more than 49 white South African Afrikaners landed in the United States after a private plane was chartered for them. This after Trump in February issued an executive order where Washington cited the Expropriation Act 13 of 2024 as one that enables the persecution of Afrikaners. Kleynhans said the second group departed on a commercial flight on Thursday that landed in Atlanta in the US on Friday. 'It is a smaller group, including children. Several more groups will fly to the USA over the next few weeks. The US Embassy in Pretoria, in collaboration with the State Department in Washington DC, is currently processing 8,000 applications, and we expect many more Afrikaner refugees to travel to the USA over the next few months. "They are settling in states across the USA, but particularly southern states such as Texas, North and South Carolina, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Nebraska,' Kleynhans said. Reports indicate that the US embassy in South Africa is aware that 'refugees continue to arrive in the United States from South Africa on commercial flights as part of the Afrikaner resettlement programme's ongoing operations'. Solidarity said it has helped some people understand the application process better and referred them to the right people at the US embassy. They have also assisted the US government in determining the criteria for Afrikaner refugee status. 'Our primary focus is not refugee status for Afrikaners, but rather to find ways to ensure a free, safe, and prosperous future for Afrikaners in South Africa. We remain 100% convinced that South Africa can and must create a home for all its people,' Kleynhans said. He added that at least 20% of Afrikaners have already left the country 'because if they stayed, they would have been unemployed'. Kleynhans said he was campaigning in at least ten countries to increase international pressure on the SA government in the run-up to the G20 summit. On criticism that this refugee path is politically motivated, Kleynhans said: 'The American refugee programs are paid for by American taxpayers and it is outrageous that international organisations and foreign groups think they can dictate to the Trump administration who should be eligible for refugee status. If Americans disagree with Trump on this, they can elect a different president in three years." Kallie Kriel, AfriForum's CEO, said he did not know the Afrikaners who were leaving because they applied directly to the US embassy. 'Our view is not to condemn people (who are) leaving, but rather to condemn the circumstances in the country that have led to this, such as hateful chants, like 'Kill the Boer'," he said. Kriel added that matters were compounded by the government, including the president and courts, which failed to condemn the chant. He acknowledged that everyone in the country has challenges, but said Afrikaners felt threatened by the open call for such violence with the 'Kill the Boer' chant. 'No community should be targeted through calls for violence. Also taking away the future of young people who now have to go into the labour market, but then are discriminated against based on their skin colour. 'We want to address that, and that is why we are vocal, because we want to make sure that South Africa truly belongs to all who live in it,' Kriel said. Dr Noluthando Phungula, an international relations expert, said it would appear that Washington still holds on to the notion of a white genocide, and it is unlikely that there will be a large exodus, as the privileged white Afrikaner population will not want to leave their life of privilege and comfort in South Africa. Professor Siphamandla Zondi, a political analyst from the University of Johannesburg, said the US's welcoming of the second batch of white Afrikaners should not surprise anyone, especially in the absence of a change of US policy. 'We should expect more and more poor Afrikaners to take advantage of this to get a free pass to the US in search of basic jobs, which ordinarily would prove difficult to get visas for,' Zondi said.
