South Africa has officially lodged a protest with the United States over reports that the U.S. will soon begin resettling white Afrikaners under refugee status, describing the move as politically driven and based on unfounded claims of racial persecution.
The South African foreign ministry confirmed on Friday that it had voiced its concerns following U.S. media reports suggesting that the first group of white South Africans could arrive in America as early as Monday. The initiative is part of a policy by U.S. President Donald Trump, who has accused South Africa of racially discriminating against its white minority, particularly Afrikaner farmers.
In a statement, South Africa rejected any suggestion that racial discrimination was occurring to a degree warranting refugee protection, saying such claims do not meet the threshold required under either U.S. or international refugee law.
Deputy Foreign Minister Alvin Botes reportedly raised the issue directly with U.S. officials, including diplomat Christopher Landau. Tensions between the two nations have increased sharply in recent months, culminating in the expulsion of South Africa’s ambassador from Washington earlier this year.
Pretoria argued that the decision to resettle South Africans under refugee status appeared to be politically motivated and aimed at undermining the legitimacy of South Africa’s democratic institutions. A key point of contention has been a new land reform law introduced in January, which permits land expropriation without compensation for public interest purposes—a policy Trump has publicly mischaracterised as targeting white Afrikaners.
Despite this, Trump announced earlier this year a new refugee policy that would fast-track U.S. entry and eventual citizenship for white South African farmers, claiming they face unjust racial discrimination. Thousands of Afrikaners are believed to have contacted the U.S. embassy in Pretoria to pursue the offer.
According to investigative outlet The Lever, a leaked government memo dated April 30 indicated that the first group of South Africans was expected to arrive “within a few days.” U.S. officials reportedly plan to resettle up to 1,000 Afrikaners this year. NPR and The New York Times also confirmed these plans, although the exact arrival date may change due to logistical issues.
The South African government said it would not prevent any citizen from leaving but insisted on clarity about the legal status of those being admitted to the U.S. It also requested assurances that proper vetting processes were in place, including criminal background checks.
White Afrikaners, descendants of Dutch settlers, now make up the majority of South Africa’s 7.3% white population. They were once the ruling class during apartheid, which ended in 1994. Claims that white farmers are being systematically targeted for murder—a claim Trump has repeated—have been widely discredited, with official data showing that most murder victims in the country are young black men living in urban areas.
