Latest news with #WhiteSouthAfricans
New York Times
3 days ago
- General
- New York Times
Afrikaners See Trump as the Ally Who ‘Heard Our Cries'
From the moment she learned of President Trump's executive order allowing white South Africans to live in the United States as refugees, Zenia Pretorius knew she wanted to go. She and her husband no longer felt safe in the country because of their race, she said. Then, last week's Oval Office meeting between Mr. Trump and President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa strengthened her desire to move. During the meeting, Mr. Trump insisted that Afrikaners — the white minority who once ran the country's brutal apartheid system — were having their farmland seized and being targeted in mass murders. When Mr. Ramaphosa attempted to correct him, Mr. Trump presented video footage and news articles that he incorrectly said were proof. 'It was heartwarming to see that he is taking this seriously,' said Ms. Pretorius, who alleges she and her husband were forced to leave their farm after being threatened and harassed by Black settlers. Violent crime is widespread in South Africa, but police statistics show that Afrikaners are no more likely to be victims of a crime than anyone else. Yet Mr. Trump's program is open only to Afrikaners and other racial minorities in the country — everyone except Black South Africans. At a time when most refugees around the world are unable to gain entry into the United States, the Trump administration has made a specific exemption for white South Africans. The first 59 Afrikaners arrived in May. Thousands more are now seeking tips on how to convince the U.S. government that they deserve refugee status, too. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Bloomberg
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Bloomberg
South Africa's Ramaphosa Keeps His Cool With Trump
President Cyril Ramaphosa won praise at home for keeping his cool as Donald Trump confronted him with false claims of genocide against White South Africans. (Source: Bloomberg)
The Herald Scotland
22-05-2025
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
Trump to host South African president for trade, refugee talks
Ramaphosa called accusations of racial persecution against Afrikaners a "completely false narrative." Although apartheid - in which South Africa was controlled by the country's White minority and Black South Africans were deprived of basic civil rights, ended in 1994 - white people still own a large majority of the land and control a hugely outsized share of the country's wealth. Ramaphosa to talk between South Africa and US Trump has said the White South Africans are the victims of "genocide" - an accusation the South African government and human rights experts say is not supported by evidence. Ramaphosa told reporters May 17 ahead of his trip that he wasn't worried about a hostile welcome at the White House. "There is no genocide in South Africa," Ramaphosa said. "We are going to have good discussions on trade." John Steenhuisen, the South African minister for agriculture, said on social media May 20 that he had a constructive meeting with U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer. "Trade is essential between our two countries and we are determined to ensure that access for agricultural products remains open in a mutually beneficial way," Steenhuisen said. "Trade means jobs and a growing economy." The United States had an $8 billion trade deficit with South Africa in 2024. Trump suspends refugee program for most other than Afrikaners Upon taking office, Trump immediately suspended the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program and ordered most potential refugees to remain in other countries. But an exception Trump ordered Feb. 7 was for "Afrikaners in South Africa who are victims of unjust racial discrimination" who he offered admission and resettlement in the United States as refugees. The Trump administration warmly greeted 59 White people from South Africa upon their arrival on May 12, after granting them refugee status. But experts on South Africa say Trump's claims of anti-White discrimination - much less genocide - are baseless. "Genocide has a very clear definition and what is happening in South Africa with White South Africans does not fit the definition at all," said Mandeep Tiwana, chief officer of evidence and engagement at CIVICUS, a human rights advocacy organization headquartered in South Africa. "In fact, White South Africans are a privileged minority." "There is no White genocide. It is a story that has been sold," said Thapelo Mohapi, secretary general of Abahlali baseMjondolo, a South African poor people's movement. "It is very unfortunate, as a poor South African that lives in a shack, seeing somebody going abroad on a flight with gifts and clothing and receiving a warm welcome from the presidency in the U.S., with a lie that they are being persecuted," Mohapi said of the Afrikaners granted refugee status. "We, in fact, are the ones who are living in poverty," Mohapi said. Some White Afrikaners have praised Trump for highlighting what they say is the discrimination they face. Theo de Jager, an Afrikaner who chairs the Southern African Agriculture Initiative, wrote in a letter to Trump that "the opportunity you have extended" to enter the U.S. as a refugee could be the "only viable path forward" for some Afrikaners. But, he added, some Black families suffer "just as much--if not more." "It is critical for you to understand that the tensions in our country are not simply a black-and-white issue." Trump's admission of the Afrikaners also angered refugee assistance programs. The Episcopal Church announced it would shutter its refugee resettlement program on May 12 after Trump asked it to help resettle the group of Afrikaners - even as the flow of refugees from all other countries had stopped. "This is a corruption of the U.S. refugee program," Kenn Speicher, co-founder of Northern Virginia Friends of Refugees, said at Dulles Airport, where he was protesting the Afrikaners' arrival. Disputed claims of 'genocide' in South Africa Genocide is defined in the Genocide Convention, an international treaty that criminalizes genocide, as the killing of members of a group because of their race, religion or national origin, as in the Holocaust. "White farmers are being brutally killed," Trump told reporters May 12 in the White House Roosevelt Room. Ramaphosa has branded the claim a "false narrative." In South Africa, White people are much less likely to be murder victims than Black people. The group Genocide Watch has said that while South Africa's population is 7% White, White people make up just 2% of its murder victims. The South African government said on May 9 that "The South Africa Police Services statistics on farm related crimes do not support allegations of violent crime targeted at farmers generally or any particular race." Allegations of a White "genocide" in the country have been heavily bolstered by Elon Musk, Trump's close advisor, who is South African by birth. Last week, users of X, the social media site owned by Musk, widely reported that its AI chatbot repeatedly spitted out statements that the South African White genocide is real in unrelated conversations. Musk has also frequently used the platform to broadcast his accusations that White South Africans are victims of targeted racial violence. "When a farmer dies, then the whole world must know, because that farmer is White and the farmer is privileged," Mohapi said. "Black people can die anytime, like flies." Rubio, Kaine clash at Senate hearing over South African refugees The conflict over South African refugees erupted at a Senate hearing May 20 between Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Kaine disputed that Afrikaners are refugees because their political party is part of the government. "I assert that this claim that there is persecution of Afrikaner famers is specious," Kaine said. Rubio said the Afrikaners who arrived as refugees felt persecuted because "their farms were burned down and they were killed because of the color of their skin." Rubio denied the Trump administration favored Afrikaners as refugees because they are White. He said accepting refugees from more countries would lead to millions of more people arriving. "It was acting as a magnet," Rubio said of the refugee program. "They can't all come here." Black South Africans suffer disproportionate poverty Trump's allegations of a White "genocide" in South Africa center on recent land reform legislation signed by Ramaphosa in January called the Expropriation Act. The bill, aimed at rectifying inequality in land ownership left over from South Africa's racial apartheid system, opens pathways for the government to seize private land for public use - sometimes without compensation. The White House's executive order slammed the bill as "in shocking disregard of its citizens' rights" and Musk branded it "racist." But South Africa's racial wealth gap leans starkly in the opposite direction. Whites make up just over 7% of the population, but own around 72% of the country's farms and agricultural land, according to a 2017 government report. The country's inequality levels - consistently rated by the World Bank as among the worst globally - impact its Black population at a vastly disproportionate rate. Last year, the unemployment rate hit 37.6% for Black South Africans, while 7.9% of Whites were without a job. Around 10% of Blacks had medical care in 2018, as compared to 72% of their White counterparts. "We are finding ourselves in a very tight and difficult situation," said Mohapi. "People celebrate when they get a meal a day." "We are defending White privilege rather than to actually talk about the real issues, the bread and butter issues," he said.
USA Today
21-05-2025
- Politics
- USA Today
Trump confronts South African leader with false claims of genocide in Oval Office ambush
WASHINGTON – South African President Cyril Ramaphosa brought two championship golfers from his country and a 14-kilogram book showcasing South Africa's greatest golf courses. But even his best attempts to appeal to President Donald Trump's golf fandom couldn't shield him from becoming the latest target of an Oval Office ambush. In a wild one-hour May 21 meeting between Trump and Ramaphosa ‒ rivaled only by Trump's memorable clash with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in February ‒ Trump accused the South African leader of overseeing "genocide" against White people, played a video to try to prove the false claim and lashed out at a reporter who asked about his administration accepting a $400 million jet from Qatar. "I'm sorry I don't have a plane to give you," Ramaphosa quipped after things got heated, about 20 minutes into the meeting. "I wish you did. I'd take it," Trump said. "If your country offered the U.S. Air Force a plane, I would take it." The backdrop to the hostility was the Trump administration's recent decision to welcome White South Africans, known as Afrikaners, as refugees to the United States, at a time when Trump has halted the resettlement of other refugees, who are typically people of color. Trump has sympathized with White South Africans ‒ a minority in their country ‒ who say they're unfairly targeted by a new law that allows the South African government to seize property for the "public interest," in some cases without compensation. Trump last week escalated the fight by claiming the Afrikaners are the targets of "genocide" against White people ‒ an accusation rejected by the South African government and human rights experts, and not supported by evidence. Violence is a longstanding problem in South Africa. While murder rates are high in the country, the overwhelming majority of victims are Black. 'Have they told you where that is, Mr. President?' Trump pounced on an opening to set up a pre-arranged video presentation when a reporter asked what it would take to convince him that genocide is not taking place in South Africa. In the silence that ensued, Ramaphosa took the question instead. "It will take President Trump listening to the voices of South Africans, some of whom are his good friends," the South African leader said. Trump then weighed in, citing "thousands of stories talking about it" and asking one of his White House aides to turn down the lights. "I could show you a couple of things," Trump said. A video started playing on a screen that was moved into the Oval Office before the meeting. It featured footage of Black South Africans calling for followers to occupy farmland, declaring that "the killing is part of the revolution" and condemning the "White man" and "whiteness" in their country. (A member of Ramaphosa's delegation later informed the room that Trump's video featured two opposition leaders to the South African government whose positions the current regime rejects.) The video ended with footage of white crosses along a street that Trump said were grave sites for White South Africans killed because of their race. In reality, the crosses weren't actual graves, but rather symbols used in protests by White South African farmers. "These are burial sites right here. Over 1,000 White farmers," Trump said as the video played. "It's a terrible sight. I've never seen anything like it." Ramaphosa, who negotiated at Nelson Mandela's side in the 90s, remained cool and calm throughout the meeting. He responded: "Have they told you where that is, Mr. President? No? I'd like to know where that is because this, I've never seen." Elon Musk watches confrontation unfold Elon Musk, the world's richest man, a top Trump adviser and a South African native, watched the back-and-forth silently, standing behind an Oval Office couch alongside reporters. He was invited as an observer, but Trump brought him into the conversation. "Elon is from South Africa. I don't want to get Elon involved. That's all I have to do ‒ get him into another thing," Trump said. "He actually came here on a different subject: sending rockets to Mars. OK? He likes that better." For decades, South Africa was controlled under apartheid rule by the country's White minority, many of them descendants of Dutch colonists. Apartheid, a system of legalized segregation, deprived the majority of citizens of basic rights and forced many Black South Africans to live in ethnic Bantustans. It ended in 1994. Ramaphosa and other defenders of the land seizure law argue the policies are needed to reverse the nation's apartheid-era legacy of disparities in land ownership. Although apartheid rule ended long ago, the typical Black South African household has just 5% of the wealth of the typical White household, according to a 2024 study by researchers at The Africa Institute and the University of Zambia. "What you saw ‒ the speeches that were being made ‒ that is not government policy," Ramaphosa said, still responding to the video clips highlighted by Trump. "We have a multi-party democracy in South Africa that allows people to express themselves. Political parties adhere to various policies. And in many cases, those policies do not go along with government policies." If the clash between Trump and Ramaphosa wasn't enough, the meeting grew more tense when a reporter from NBC News rattled Trump by asking about the Qatari jet. News had just broken that the Pentagon had officially accepted a luxury Boeing 747 jet from Qatar to be used as Air Force One. It's believed to be the largest foreign gift accepted by a president in U.S. history, and Democrats have argued that it's unconstitutional for Trump to take it. "It's NBC trying to get off the subject of what you just saw. You're a terrible reporter," Trump said. "For NBC to go into a subject about a gift that was given to the United States Air Force, which was a very nice thing ..." Two pro golfers help simmer tensions The conversation shifted back to the racial dynamics of South Africa. About 45 minutes into the meeting, Trump asked famous South African golfer Ernie Els ‒ one of Ramaphosa's guests ‒ to say some words. "This is tougher than sinking a three-footer,' Trump said, inviting Els, winner of four major golf championships, to speak. Els took a South African passport from his jacket pocket to illustrate his pride in his country. But he said that 35 years since the transition away from the policy of racial division under apartheid to a Black-led government, supporters want to see the country flourish. 'We want to see things get better in our country," said Els, who is White. 'I know there's a lot of anger through the transition.' Els said Black leader Nelson Mandela unified the nation by not promoting hatred. He said business is getting involved in government, demonstrating greater coexistence between the races. 'I feel we need the U.S. to push this thing through,' Els said. "It's very important for us to have your support and get the change we need.' Trump commended his presentation. 'Boy, did you do that well,' Trump said after Els finished. 'He might have done that even better than he plays golf, which is almost impossible." Els, along with fellow South African golfer Retief Goosen, who also spoke, helped cool the temperature before the press was escorted out. Goosen, who is also White, said his father was a land developer and farmer, and that his brothers continue to farm. 'It's a constant battle. They're trying to burn the farms down to chase you away,' he said. 'It is a concern to make a living as a farmer. Without farmers, there's no food on the plate.' Goosen said other farmers have been killed. His family lives behind electric fences, but he said that hadn't prevented his brothers and mother from being attacked in their homes. 'It is difficult,' he said. Trump expressed sympathy. 'It's no way to live,' Trump said. Reuters contributed. Reach Joey Garrison on X @joeygarrison.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Trump, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa set for White House meeting
May 21 (UPI) -- South African President Cyril Ramaphosa will meet with President Donald Trump Wednesday to talk about relations, both trade and diplomatic. "The trade relations between South Africa and the United States will be the focus of my working visit," wrote South African President Cyril Ramaphosa to his X account Tuesday, "We aim to strengthen and consolidate relations between our two countries." South African Minister of Agriculture John Steenhuisen said via social media Tuesday that he had a "constructive meeting" with U.S. Trade Representative Ambassador Greer in Washington. "Trade is essential between our two countries and we are determined to ensure that access for agricultural products remains open in a mutually beneficial way. Trade means jobs and a growing economy," Steenhuisen said. However, it is also likely that the two will discuss the relationship between the two nations in general, as the Trump administration has cut off aid to South Africa and publicly leveled accusations that the South African government has backed violence against the Afrikaners, the White South Africans, whom the United States has begun to accept as refugees, despite the fact that Trump suspended the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program on the first day of his second term. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said earlier in May that Afrikaners fleeing persecution are welcome in the United States. "The South African government has treated these people terribly -- threatening to steal their private land and subjected them to vile racial discrimination. The Trump Administration is proud to offer them refuge in our great country." "We all know as South Africans both Black and White is that there is no genocide here," Ramaphosa said Friday. "We are not genociders. We are not committing any act of hatred, act of retribution or violence against anyone," Ramaphosa said. White South Africans maintain control of a majority of the land and much of the county's wealth after apartheid ended in 1994. "The false narratives about a genocide are not a reflection of who we are as a nation," Ramaphosa further stated Friday, "and during our working visit to the U.S. we will be advancing a proudly South African message."
