Latest news with #SouthAfricanAfrikaner
IOL News
21-05-2025
- Business
- IOL News
Johann Rupert and golfers Ernie Els and Retief Goosen accompany Ramaphosa for crucial meeting with Trump
One of South Africa's richest men, renowned businessman Johann Rupert and golfers Ernie Els and Retief Goosen are reportedly part of the high-level South African delegation led by President Cyril Ramaphosa, who are set to meet US President Donald Trump in Washington. Image: IOL Graphics One of South Africa's richest men, renowned businessman Johann Rupert and golfers Ernie Els and Retief Goosen are reportedly part of the high-level South African delegation led by President Cyril Ramaphosa, who are set to meet US President Donald Trump in Washington. Ramaphosa will meet Trump in the Oval Office on Wednesday, as the Pretoria government seeks to reset the damaged relations with the US, a key trading partner and investor in South Africa. According to media reports, Ramaphosa has included the golfers in his arsenal, seeking to appeal to Trump who loves the sport. Speculation has been rife over the audience Ramaphosa will receive from Trump, following the dressing down given to visiting Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in February. IOL has previously reported that since his inauguration, Trump has cut aid to South Africa, and has offered South African Afrikaner an opportunity to relocate to the US as refugees. So far, the first batch of 49 Afrikaners has arrived in the US. US President Donald Trump has made good on his promise to cut funding to South Africa over the government's land expropriation policy and resettle white farmers, insisting that their land is being expropriated. 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 ✕ President Donald Trump. Image: AFP Meanwhile, the Economic Freedom Fighters has lambasted the inclusion of Rupert on the delegation. "The Economic Freedom Fighters condemns in the strongest terms the inclusion of Stellenbosch billionaire Johann Rupert in a South African delegation that is set to meet with President of the United States of America Donald Trump to mend diplomatic, trade and economic relations between the two nations," said national spokesperson Sinawo Thambo. "In what can only be described as capture and an exhibition of the undue influence of big business in an interaction between two nations premised on democracy and sovereignty, Trump and Ramaphosa have allowed their benefactors and funders to influence and control the relations between South Africa and the United States, undermining the people of both nations. "Elon Musk and Johann Rupert are two sides of the same coin. Both are egoistical businessmen who parade their control over the presidents of these two nations and both hold a considerable stake in both of these economies. They are both racist to the core and are opposed to transformation and equity because it threatens their ill-gotten wealth and control over the political fortunes of the United States and South Africa," he said. Weekend Argus
IOL News
21-05-2025
- Business
- IOL News
Tee off: Johann Rupert, golfers Ernie Els and Retief Goosen join Ramaphosa in crucial Trump meeting
One of South Africa's richest men, renowned businessman Johann Rupert and golfers Ernie Els and Retief Goosen are reportedly part of the high-level South African delegation led by President Cyril Ramaphosa, who are set to meet US President Donald Trump in Washington. Image: IOL Graphics One of South Africa's richest men, renowned businessman Johann Rupert and golfers Ernie Els and Retief Goosen are reportedly part of the high-level South African delegation led by President Cyril Ramaphosa, who are set to meet US President Donald Trump in Washington. Ramaphosa will meet Trump in the Oval Office on Wednesday, as the Pretoria government seeks to reset the damaged relations with the US, a key trading partner and investor in South Africa. According to media reports, Ramaphosa has included the golfers in his arsenal, seeking to appeal to Trump who loves the sport. Speculation has been rife over the audience Ramaphosa will receive from Trump, following the dressing down given to visiting Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in February. Get your news on the go, click here to join the IOL News WhatsApp channel. IOL has previously reported that since his inauguration, Trump has cut aid to South Africa, and has offered South African Afrikaner an opportunity to relocate to the US as refugees. So far, the first batch of 49 Afrikaners has arrived in the US. US President Donald Trump has made good on his promise to cut funding to South Africa over the government's land expropriation policy and resettle white farmers, insisting that their land is being expropriated. 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 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. Next Stay Close ✕ President Donald Trump. Image: AFP Meanwhile, the Economic Freedom Fighters has lambasted the inclusion of Rupert on the delegation. "The Economic Freedom Fighters condemns in the strongest terms the inclusion of Stellenbosch billionaire Johann Rupert in a South African delegation that is set to meet with President of the United States of America Donald Trump to mend diplomatic, trade and economic relations between the two nations," said national spokesperson Sinawo Thambo. "In what can only be described as capture and an exhibition of the undue influence of big business in an interaction between two nations premised on democracy and sovereignty, Trump and Ramaphosa have allowed their benefactors and funders to influence and control the relations between South Africa and the United States, undermining the people of both nations. "Elon Musk and Johann Rupert are two sides of the same coin. Both are egoistical businessmen who parade their control over the presidents of these two nations and both hold a considerable stake in both of these economies. They are both racist to the core and are opposed to transformation and equity because it threatens their ill-gotten wealth and control over the political fortunes of the United States and South Africa," he said. IOL News
The South African
12-05-2025
- The South African
Catching private flights: How SA 'refugees' left the country
The United States (US) is set to receive the very first group of South African Afrikaner refugees, after they departed SA on Sunday evening, 11 May. The group, made up of 49 white South Africans, boarded a private plane which arrived from Texas, to transport the refugees to their new home. According to IOL , the national Department of Transport (DOT) revealed that an application for a permit for this chartered airplane was recently approved by the International Air Services Council. A spokesperson for the DOT, Collen Msibi, who was also at OR Tambo International Airport on Sunday night, revealed to Newzroom Afrika that a strict process was followed for the airplane to be permitted into South Africa, and it would continue to be monitored as it makes its way to the US. Msibi also said that a number of aspects was checked by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) before the plane could enter SA, including the technical provisions of the flight being used, as well as a proper check on the documentation of the crew members. The operator of the plane also had to submit a flight plan to the Air Traffic and Navigation Services (ATNS) in order to alert the relevant authorities of the private plane coming into South Africa's air space from the US. 'That was done and they are quite aware of what is happening. This flight comes from Texas and it went through Dakar (Senegal), and to OR Tambo International Airport. As it takes off, it is gonna go the same route – OR Tambo, Dakar, Washington DC then back to Texas. Basically that is the route that they are taking,' Msibi said, as per IOL. 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
12-05-2025
- Politics
- IOL News
How the chartered flight for Afrikaner refugees to the United States was approved
The national Department of Transport said an application for a permit for a chartered airplane which arrived on Sunday to ferry South African Afrikaner refugees to the United States was approved by the International Air Services Council. On Sunday night, the plane carrying 49 South African Afrikaners departed for the United States under US President Donald Trump's offer for the 'discriminated' South African individuals and families to relocate. Spokesperson for the Department of Transport, Collen Msibi, was at OR Tambo International Airport in Kempton Park on Sunday night. He told broadcaster Newzroom Afrika that a stringent process was followed for the airplane to be permitted into South Africa, and it would be monitored as it makes its way to the US. 'First of all, the reason I am here is that there was an application lodged with the council, which is the International Air Services Council. That was lodged on May 5, so we have had to take that application to the council. 'With that set of application, you have got to state a number of things, first is how many flights are involved, how many passengers are we talking about and the route that you will be taking. All that information was contained, but most of all it was the reason. It was stated quite clearly that this is for the Afrikaners who are relocating to the US as refugees," he said. Get your news on the go, click here to join the IOL News WhatsApp channel. Msibi said the council, as an independent body, subsequently approved the permit which is called the foreign operators permit. He said a number of aspects, including the technical provisions of the flight being used, which were checked by the Civil Aviation Authority. The process also includes a thorough check on the documentation of the crew members. 'That was taken to the council, hence the application was approved. We are talking of about 49 people from what I saw in terms of those who are going to be on this particular flight,' he said. On Sunday night, Msibi said the flight was scheduled to depart at 8 pm. The plane operator had an obligation to submit a flight plan to the Air Traffic and Navigation Services (ATNS) to alert the authorities of the plane coming into South Africa's air space. 'That was done and they are quite aware of what is happening. This flight comes from Texas and it went through Dakar (Senegal), and to OR Tambo International Airport. As it takes off, it is gonna go the same route - OR Tambo, Dakar, Washington DC then back to Texas. Basically that is the route that they are taking,' he said. 'As they pass all these stations, they need to report to the ATNS in terms of their whereabouts. It is part of the mandate of the ATNS.'
