SOUTH Africa has condemned the United States’ decision to begin resettling white Afrikaners as refugees, describing the move as politically motivated and based on unfounded allegations of discrimination.
In a strongly worded statement released on Friday, South Africa’s foreign ministry said it had formally expressed concern to Washington over reports that the first group of white South Africans would be accepted by the US as early as next week. The concerns were raised directly by Deputy Foreign Minister Alvin Botes in discussions with US counterpart Christopher Landau.
‘We reiterate that allegations of discrimination are unfounded,’ the ministry said, calling the resettlement plans ‘regrettable’ and a clear attempt to discredit South Africa’s constitutional democracy.
Trump policy reignites tensions
The diplomatic clash comes amid deteriorating relations between the two nations, which worsened earlier this year after the expulsion of South Africa’s ambassador from Washington. The latest controversy surrounds US President Donald Trump’s assertion that white Afrikaners are victims of racial discrimination in South Africa — a claim Pretoria firmly rejects.
Trump, whose administration initially froze all refugee arrivals upon taking office in January, announced in February that he would prioritise Afrikaners for entry into the US, citing what he described as ‘unjust racial discrimination.’ He also promised a ‘rapid pathway’ to US citizenship for South African farmers and their families.
According to AFP, reports from The Lever, NPR, and The New York Times indicate that the first group of migrants could arrive as early as Monday. The Lever cited a US government source and an April 30 memo suggesting that Washington aims to resettle up to 1,000 Afrikaners this year.
Pretoria demands answers
The South African government said it had requested clarification on the legal status of the individuals involved — whether they were recognised as asylum seekers, refugees, or regular migrants — and demanded assurances that all had been appropriately vetted, including checks for any pending criminal cases.
‘Whilst South Africa challenges the United States’ assessments of alleged refugee status, it will not block citizens who seek to depart the country from doing so,’ the statement said.
White Afrikaners, descendants primarily of Dutch settlers, make up the majority of South Africa’s 7.3 percent white population. Historically, Afrikaner-led governments instituted the apartheid regime, which denied Black South Africans political and economic rights until its collapse in 1994.
Disputed narratives and land reform
Trump’s decision has also reignited debate over land reform in South Africa. One of the triggers for the US refugee offer was a new land expropriation law signed in January, which Trump has portrayed as a tool to seize Afrikaner-owned farms without compensation.
The South African government insists the legislation is constitutional, race-neutral, and permits expropriation only in the public interest after failed negotiations. Nonetheless, the law has become a flashpoint in US-South Africa relations.
Pretoria also criticised the continued promotion of the ‘white genocide’ narrative, often cited by far-right groups and echoed by Trump, which claims that white farmers in South Africa are being systematically targeted for murder. Official crime data consistently shows that the majority of murder victims are Black men in urban areas — not white farmers.
Political motives questioned
‘It is most regrettable that it appears the resettlement of South Africans to the United States under the guise of being “refugees” is entirely politically motivated,’ the foreign ministry said.
Analysts say the move may be aimed at energising Trump’s conservative base in an election year, especially given the prominence of Afrikaner diaspora figures like Elon Musk, who was born in South Africa.
Pretoria, while reaffirming the rights of South Africans to emigrate, made clear it views the US refugee offer as a challenge to its sovereignty and post-apartheid progress.
