South African President Ramaphosa Responds to Afrikaner Resettlement in the U.S.
Ramaphosa’s “Coward” Remark Sparks Debate
President Cyril Ramaphosa has ignited controversy by labeling a group of 59 white South Africans who resettled in the United States as cowards,
suggesting they’ll be back soon.
The remarks followed the group’s arrival in the U.S. after being granted refugee status under President Donald Trump,who cited racial discrimination as the reason.
The U.S. Welcomes Afrikaners
The Afrikaner group was greeted by high-ranking U.S. officials who asserted they had been living under a shadow of violence and terror
in South Africa. Deputy Secretary of State Chris Landau, welcoming them at Dulles Airport near Washington D.C., proclaimed, Welcome to the land of the free.
The arrival area was decorated with American flags and balloons.
Ramaphosa Defends South Africa
Speaking at an agricultural exhibition in the Free State province, Ramaphosa stated that the Afrikaners were relocating to the U.S. because they were not favourably disposed
to efforts aimed at addressing the country’s challenges. He emphasized the resilience of South Africans, saying:
As South Africans, we are resilient. We don’t run away from our problems. We must stay here and solve our problems. When you run away you are a coward, and that’s a real fainthearted act.
President Cyril Ramaphosa
He further added, I can bet you that they will be back soon because there is no country like South Africa.
Trump’s “Genocide” Claim and Land Reform
The situation is further complicated by claims, including those from Trump and Elon Musk, of a genocide
against white farmers in South Africa, a claim widely discredited.The U.S. has also accused the South African government of land seizures without compensation.
In January, Ramaphosa signed a controversial law allowing the government to seize privately owned land without compensation under specific circumstances deemed equitable and in the public interest.
Though, the government maintains that no land has been seized under this act.
Historical Context and Land Ownership
More than 30 years after the end of apartheid, black farmers still own only a small portion of the country’s best farmland, with the majority remaining in white hands. This disparity fuels anger over the slow pace of change.
U.S. Refugee Program Criteria
According to the U.S. embassy in South africa, eligibility for the refugee resettlement scheme requires individuals to be:
- Of South African nationality
- Afrikaner or from a racial minority
- Able to cite an incident of past persecution or fear of persecution in the future.
Ramaphosa stated that the Afrikaners who arrived in the U.S.don’t fit the bill
for refugees.
Ramaphosa’s Dialog with Trump
Earlier, at an Africa CEO forum in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, Ramaphosa mentioned that he had recently told Trump during a phone call that the U.S. assessment of the situation was not true.
He dismissed claims of persecution against Afrikaners, stating:
We’re the only country on the continent where the colonisers came to stay and we have never driven them out of our country.
President Cyril Ramaphosa
Ramaphosa indicated he is scheduled to meet with his U.S. counterpart soon to discuss the matter.Trump has reportedly threatened to boycott the forthcoming G20 summit in South Africa unless the situation is taken care of.
