By BlogHear News Team
Published: May 21, 2025
Washington, D.C. — Former U.S. President Donald Trump reignited global attention on South Africa’s crime and race dynamics during a highly charged Oval Office meeting with President Cyril Ramaphosa on Tuesday. The controversial exchange saw Trump confronting Ramaphosa with printed news clippings and a video of opposition leader Julius Malema chanting the struggle song “Shoot the Boer.”
The incident was swiftly embraced by far-right Afrikaner groups, including the Solidarity Movement, which had lobbied U.S. lawmakers for months. They praised Trump for raising the issue of farm attacks and alleged white persecution, with Solidarity’s Jaco Kleynhans even suggesting Trump deserved a Nobel Prize for highlighting what they term a “farm murder crisis.”
A Strategic Ambush
Trump’s Oval Office move was described by some analysts as calculated political theater. Ernst Roets, a leading Afrikaner nationalist, declared on X (formerly Twitter) that Trump “made history” by placing white South African farmers’ plight on the international stage.
The confrontation included accusations aimed at Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema, whose controversial chanting of the anti-apartheid song has sparked legal and political disputes for years. Trump demanded to know why no legal action had been taken against him.
South Africa’s Supreme Court has previously ruled that such songs, while provocative, are not to be taken literally. The court concluded that their use in political rallies represents a symbolic call to end land and economic inequality, rather than an incitement to violence.
Ramaphosa’s Calm Response
Despite the tension, Ramaphosa maintained composure throughout the exchange. Backed by a racially diverse delegation—including opposition leader and Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen of the Democratic Alliance (DA)—he countered Trump’s claims with data and constitutional reasoning.
“There is no genocide in South Africa,” Ramaphosa stated. “There is crime, like in every other nation, and our government is working with all sectors of society to address it.”
Steenhuisen, the most senior white member of Ramaphosa’s unity government, acknowledged the country’s “real safety problem,” but rejected the narrative that most white farmers were fleeing. “They want to stay and help build a better South Africa,” he said.
A Divided Reaction at Home
The incident sparked mixed reactions across South Africa. While some praised Trump for voicing concerns about rural crime, many criticized the Afrikaner lobby groups for what they view as an act of political betrayal—soliciting foreign intervention rather than supporting domestic solutions.
Political columnist Pieter du Toit noted that years of exaggeration and misinformation had successfully penetrated right-wing U.S. discourse, culminating in Trump’s confrontation. “This was the moment they were lobbying for,” he said.
Trade unionist Zingiswa Losi, part of the South African delegation, told Trump that rural violence disproportionately affects black communities. “You will see women, elderly, being raped, being murdered,” she said. “The issue is crime, not race.”
Defending the ‘Rainbow Nation’
Ramaphosa’s delegation, featuring Afrikaner sports figures like Ernie Els and Retief Goosen, presented a united front to counter Trump’s claims. Els emphasized unity, even displaying his South African passport. Goosen acknowledged his brother’s struggles as a farmer but clarified that “despite their fear of crime, the guys live a great life.”
Business magnate Johann Rupert pointed to South Africa’s most violent areas—townships in Cape Town—where the majority of victims are black or coloured. “The perception of targeted white genocide is exaggerated,” he said.
Call for Support, Not Division
Ramaphosa concluded by urging international partners, especially the U.S., to support South Africa’s economic recovery and social cohesion. “This is a democracy,” he said. “Even controversial voices like the EFF have a constitutional right to exist—but that doesn’t mean we agree with them.”
The South African leader invoked the legacy of Nelson Mandela, calling for unity and inclusive growth. Steenhuisen echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the DA’s role in keeping extremist parties like the EFF out of power.
“This government needs global allies to succeed,” he told Trump. “South Africa’s success is in everyone’s interest.”
For more global political news, insightful reports, and real-time updates, visit BlogHear.com — your trusted source for worldwide headlines.
