On Monday, 59 South Africans arrived in the United States to provide sanctuary from what Washington described as racism against Africans as part of a refugee programme established by President Donald Trump.
Earlier this year, the Trump administration offered to resettle Africans, descendants of European colonial settlers in South Africa, saying they face harassment and violence in their country. At the same time, he frozen aid to the African nation.
When the group arrived at Dulles International Airport near Washington, D.C., U.S. Secretary of State Christopher Landau said:
“We respect the long traditions of your people and what you have accomplished over the years,” he said.
How does Washington justify special treatment for African refugees?
At a press conference Monday, Trump doubled claims that white people have been exposed to systemic violence since South Africa’s apartheid or white minority domination.
The African community is descended from the predominantly Dutch settlers who founded apartheid in 1948. Under apartheid, white people were able to seize land and resources from the “Bantuttans” or black population relegated to overcrowded towns.
Apartheid ended in 1994, but when the African National Congress won South Africa’s first racially inclusive democratic election – most commentators agree that racism continues today, with many black people disproportionately lacking access to land, resources and opportunities.
In January, President Cyril Ramaphosa introduced new laws that sought to address the state’s ownership disparities. This left three-quarters of South Africa’s privately owned land in white hands by making it easier for the state to expropriate the land.
Ramaphosa argues that while the law does not amount to land confiscation, it creates a fair redistribution framework by allowing the authorities to acquire land in the public interest without compensation only in exceptional circumstances, such as when the area is abandoned.
Shortly after the introduction of the expropriation law, Trump wrote about his social account of truth: “South Africa confiscates land and treats a certain class of people very badly. The US can’t stand it, we’ll act.”
Washington said it agreed to grant African refugee status after the introduction of the law.
Trump is also in conflict with the prominent positions of African countries in the International Court of Justice case that accuses Israel of being Gaza’s genocide.
Is there a risk of “genocide” for white South Africans?
“It’s a genocide that’s happening,” Trump told White House reporters.
Trump’s claims reflect the white nationalist belief that South African law aimed at amending apartheid actually discriminates against the African community.
Right-wing organizations such as the Afrikaner Lobby Group Afriforum have defended narratives of existential threats for Africans.
South Africa-born tech billionaire and close ally of Trump, Elon Musk is recognized by many as an ally of the African cause.
He repeatedly posted anger on X for what he claimed was an unfair treatment of white South Africans until he claimed that “white genocide” was happening.
Still, white South Africans own most of the country’s private land, and on average have around 20 times more wealth than black people. In South African companies, white people account for 62% of top management positions, with 17% of leadership roles being held by black managers.
And even the statistics provided by Afriforum and Transvaal Agricultural Union show that, even groups sympathetic to white farmers, the total number of farmers killed each year across all races is around 60. This is a country that sees 19,000 murders every year.
Some young Africans have gone to social media to chuckle the offer of asylum and post parody videos highlighting the privileges that white people enjoy in South Africa today.
How did South Africa react?
In March, the South African government called for Trump’s claim that Africans face “completely false” persecution, noting that they remain among the richest and “most economically privileged” groups.
“We believe that the US government has a wrong end to the stick here, but we’re continuing to talk to them,” President Ramaphosa told the African CEO Forum in Abidjan, Ivory Coast on Monday.
Ramaphosa said he spoke to Trump about the issue.
The South African president said far-right Africans seeking refugee status are “fringe groups” and “added anti-transformation and anti-change.” [and] In fact, South Africa would prefer to return to apartheid policies. I told him [Trump] I would never do that. ”
Ramaphosa also revealed that he plans to meet with Trump soon on the issue.
What is the status of relations between the US and Africa?
Tensions between the Trump administration and the South African government are high, with the US expelling South Africa’s ambassador in March due to Trump’s criticism.
The Trump administration is also in conflict with Pretoria’s prominent position in the International Court of Justice suit against Israel accused of Gaza’s genocide.
Another major flashpoint was the sudden suspension of US funding and dismantling Operation USAID in South Africa in January. This had a particular impact on the Pep-Far Program, the president’s emergency plan for AIDS relief.
In 2023 alone, South Africa received around $460 million in the PEPFAR fund, covering almost 18% of the country’s HIV/AIDS budget. Fundraising freezes put efforts at risk to combat one of the world’s most serious HIV epidemics.
Trade diplomacy has not escaped fallout either. The proposed 30% tariff rate caused South Africa to hit Trump’s “liberation day” tariffs on April 2nd, disproportionately affecting some African countries. There were only five other countries facing steeper trade hikes than South Africa.
A 90-day suspension was granted prior to the implementation of the tariffs, but the looming threat of higher trade collection, especially on automobile exports, has created deep anxiety in Pretoria.
Is this consistent with US refugee law and policy?
The arrival of dozens of Africans in the United States yesterday comes as the Trump administration blocked hospitalizations of almost every other refugee and leaned into rhetoric about the “invasion” of immigrants from poor countries.
Al Jazeera correspondent Patty Calhane, speaking from Washington, DC, said the Trump administration had “made a priority to get these people.” [white South Africans] To the United States.”
Meanwhile, people fleeing widespread violence and persecution in countries such as Haiti and Afghanistan face closed doors.
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