Opio Sokoni, SRA Wire
President Cyril Ramaphosa has labeled a group of 59 white South Africans, recently relocated to the US, as “cowards,” asserting that they will eventually return to South Africa. This group of Afrikaners arrived in the US on Monday after being granted refugee status by former President Donald Trump, who claimed they faced racial discrimination back home.
Ramaphosa expressed disappointment, suggesting that those who chose to leave were dissatisfied with the government’s efforts to rectify the injustices of apartheid. He described their departure as a “sad moment” and emphasized the resilience of South Africans, stating, “We don’t run away from our problems. When you run away, you are a coward, and that’s a real cowardly act.”
During a meeting at the White House on Wednesday, President Trump shared a social media video with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, depicting a rural road adorned with white crosses and numerous vehicles.
Trump asserted that the video depicted “burial sites” of “over 1,000” white farmers in South Africa. However, an analysis by The New York Times revealed that the footage actually showcased a memorial procession held on September 5, 2020, near Newcastle, South Africa. This event was organized to honor a white farming couple who had been reported murdered in late August of that year, according to a local news source.
The crosses had been placed in the days leading up to the memorial and were subsequently removed. This misrepresentation occurred during a remarkable meeting where Trump made unfounded claims about a genocide targeting white farmers. He dimmed the lights to present the video as purported evidence of racial persecution against white South Africans.
Trump and his associate Elon Musk have previously claimed that white farmers in South Africa are facing a “genocide,” a statement that has been widely criticized. The US has also accused the South African government of seizing land from white farmers without compensation.
Despite the end of apartheid over 30 years ago, black farmers still own only a small portion of the country’s prime agricultural land, which remains largely in the hands of white farmers, prompting frustration over the slow pace of transformation.
In January, Ramaphosa enacted a law allowing the government to expropriate privately owned land without compensation in certain cases deemed “equitable and in the public interest,” although he noted that no land has yet been taken under this legislation.
Speaking at an agricultural exhibition in Free State province, Ramaphosa stated that the Afrikaners were leaving due to their opposition to the country’s efforts to address its challenges. He remarked that all ethnic groups, both black and white, have chosen to remain in South Africa and face its issues, asserting, “I can bet you that they will be back soon because there is no country like South Africa.”
His comments sparked backlash on social media, with some users criticizing his remarks as an affront to discontented white South Africans. The Afrikaners were received warmly by US officials, who described them as having lived in fear in South Africa. Deputy Secretary of State Chris Landau welcomed them at Dulles Airport, saying, “Welcome to the land of the free.”
Earlier, during an Africa CEO forum in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, Ramaphosa informed Trump during a phone call that the US’s portrayal of the situation was “not true.” He reiterated that South Africa is unique in its colonial history, stating, “We have never driven them out of our country,” and dismissed claims of persecution against Afrikaners.
Ramaphosa noted that those who arrived in the US on Monday did not meet the criteria for refugee status, as outlined by the US embassy, which requires individuals to be South African nationals, Afrikaners or from a racial minority, and to have experienced past persecution or fear future persecution.
The South African leader indicated that he plans to discuss this matter with his US counterpart soon, as Trump has threatened to boycott the upcoming G20 summit in South Africa unless the situation is addressed.
