On Friday, 7 February, U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order to cut U.S. financial aid to South Africa, citing concerns over the country’s land policy and its genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice.
The U.S. allocated nearly $440 million in assistance to South Africa in 2023, according to the latest government data.
According to Reuters, in addition to cutting financial aid, the White House announced plans to facilitate the resettlement of white South African farmers and their families as refugees.
U.S. officials will prioritise humanitarian relief, including resettlement through the U.S. Refugee Admissions Programme, specifically for Afrikaners in South Africa, who are descendants of early Dutch and French settlers.
Trump, without providing evidence, claimed that South Africa was “confiscating land” and that certain groups were being treated “very badly.”
Elon Musk, a South African-born billionaire and Trump ally, has similarly claimed that white South Africans face “racist ownership laws.”
Land ownership remains a politically sensitive issue in South Africa due to the historical injustices of colonialism and apartheid.
White landowners still control around three-quarters of the country’s freehold farmland, while only 4% is owned by Black people, who make up 80% of the population. This disparity has led to ongoing tensions over land reform.
In response to Trump’s executive order, South Africa’s Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ronald Lamola, on Saturday, 08 February, criticised the move, saying it lacked factual accuracy and failed to acknowledge South Africa’s painful history of colonialism and apartheid. Said Lamola:
We are concerned by what seems to be a campaign of misinformation and propaganda aimed at misrepresenting our great nation.
It is disappointing to observe that such narratives seem to have found favour among decision-makers in the United States of America.
It is ironic that the executive order makes provision for refugee status in the US for a group in South Africa that remains amongst the most economically privileged, while vulnerable people in the US from other parts of the world are being deported and denied asylum despite real hardship.
Lamola added that South Africa remains dedicated to seeking diplomatic solutions to any misunderstandings or disputes.
@vhedza · 2 months ago
‘We Are Here to Stay’ – AfriForum Declines US Offer
AfriForum has firmly rejected US President Donald Trump’s plan to resettle white South Africans as refugees. The civil rights group, which advocates for Afrikaner interests, insists that its community belongs in South Africa.
Trump signed an executive order on Friday, citing concerns over human rights violations and the South African government’s land policies.
The order directed US officials to facilitate humanitarian relief, including refugee resettlement, for “Afrikaners in South Africa who are victims of unjust racial discrimination.”
AfriForum CEO Kallie Kriel, however, dismissed the idea of leaving. Speaking to The Citizen, he stated:
“We have an appreciation for the fact that the US recognises the discrimination experienced by Afrikaners at the moment, but we do, however, see the future of Afrikaners in Africa.”
He added that the cost of relocation was simply too high:
“We were formed as a people in Africa and we can only survive as a cultural community on the southern top of Africa.”
White South Africans Deserve Refugee Status In America: Trump
Then-Presdient-elect Donald Trump arrives to watch SpaceX’s rocket Starship lift off for a test flight with Elon Musk from Starbase in Boca Chica, Texas, Tuesday, November 19, 2024 [Brandon Bell/Pool via AP]
AfriForum Urges Trump to Target ANC Leaders, Not Citizens
AfriForum said it would be engaging both the South African and US governments to find alternative solutions. The organisation has also written to Washington, requesting that any punitive action be directed at South Africa’s ruling party leaders rather than the general population.
“We are here to stay. It might irritate the radical elements that hate us, but we are here to stay,” Kriel said.
AfriForum and the trade union Solidarity have announced a press conference to further address the issue.
Despite his executive order, Trump recently suspended refugee admissions into the US, arguing that America lacks the capacity to accommodate large numbers of migrants. In an order dated 20 January, he stated:
“I, therefore, direct that entry into the United States of refugees under the US Refugee Admissions Program be suspended… until a finding is made in accordance with section 4 of this order.”
This follows Trump’s decision to freeze US HIV/AIDS funding to South Africa, which he justified under his “America First” policy. He also criticised the country’s Expropriation Act, claiming it unfairly targets certain groups.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and his ministers have dismissed Trump’s claims, insisting the land reform policies are lawful and necessary.
10 Catchy Headlines Optimised for Google Discover:
Afrikaner Group Rejects Trump’s Refugee Offer, Says ‘We Are Here to Stay’
AfriForum Snubs Trump’s Plan to Resettle White South Africans in US
‘The Price Is Too High’ – AfriForum Rejects Trump’s Refugee Proposal
AfriForum to Trump: ‘We Belong in South Africa, Not as Refugees’
Trump’s Offer to Resettle White South Africans Rejected by AfriForum
‘We Are Here to Stay’ – AfriForum Rejects Trump’s Refugee Plan
AfriForum Tells Trump: ‘Don’t Resettle Us, Punish ANC Leaders Instead’
‘Afrikaners Won’t Leave’ – AfriForum Rejects Trump’s Refugee Proposal
AfriForum Declines Trump’s Refugee Plan, Says Leaving ‘Not an Option’
Trump’s Refugee Offer to White South Africans Hits a Roadblock
Source
Mp
· 2 months ago
this shows how out of touch trump is with reality how can you tell a citizens to come to America and become refugees
Chamisa · 2 months ago
Vakaurairwa 1 munhu zvakaitika pa Zimbabwe, mabhunu ayo achatiza chete