Johannesburg, South Africa — The South African government has strongly criticised a reported plan by the United States to resettle a group of white Afrikaners, calling it “politically motivated” and harmful to South Africa’s democratic image.
According to a document obtained by CBS News, a US partner of the BBC, the Trump administration has prioritised the resettlement of 54 Afrikaners who claim to be victims of racial discrimination. The group is reportedly scheduled to arrive in the US as early as next week, although the White House has not confirmed the exact timeline.
The South African Department of International Relations and Cooperation issued a statement on Friday rejecting allegations that white South Africans, particularly Afrikaner farmers, are being racially targeted. “Crime in South Africa affects all citizens, regardless of race,” the ministry said, adding that there is no credible evidence of a campaign against white farmers.
The statement further expressed concern that the US decision could be “an attempt to undermine South Africa’s constitutional democracy” and demanded assurances that those being resettled had been properly vetted and were not facing any criminal investigations in South Africa.
The move stems from a February executive order signed by then-President Donald Trump, which labelled Afrikaners as victims of “unjust racial discrimination” and opened pathways for their resettlement in the United States. While the Trump administration has restricted most asylum claims, it has made exceptions in this case.
White Afrikaner advocacy groups have claimed targeted attacks on farmers, often describing them as racially motivated. However, South African authorities continue to reject such claims, stating there is no statistical evidence to support these allegations.
Adding fuel to the controversy, Elon Musk — who grew up in South Africa and was a Trump administration adviser at the time — has openly accused the South African government of enabling what he called a “genocide” against white farmers, a claim widely disputed by experts and human rights observers.
A press event is reportedly planned at Dulles International Airport in Virginia on Monday to welcome the first group of 54 Afrikaners. The US State Department has acknowledged interviewing applicants and prioritising those “who are victims of racial discrimination,” but has not confirmed the resettlement date.
The development comes amid global criticism of US immigration policy, with critics pointing out the irony of accepting a relatively privileged group while rejecting asylum seekers from war-torn regions.
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