A group of white, Afrikaans-speaking South Africans is expected to arrive in the United States early next week, reportedly under “refugee status” granted by President Donald Trump.
The group, part of South Africa’s Afrikaner minority, claims they are being persecuted in their home country and are fleeing what they describe as “unjust racial discrimination.”
This development follows an executive order signed by Trump in February, which halted all U.S. aid to South Africa. In the same directive, the president accused the South African government of “doing terrible things” to Afrikaners, asserting that their land is being unfairly seized and their safety increasingly jeopardized.
Trump’s accusations appear to be rooted in a controversial policy adopted by South Africa that allows land expropriation without compensation in exceptional circumstances.
Although the policy has sparked global debate, South African authorities have insisted it is part of broader efforts to rectify the country’s deeply unequal land ownership patterns — a lingering legacy of apartheid. To date, however, there has been no record of any land expropriation under the policy.
The Afrikaners, who largely descend from Dutch settlers, have deep roots in South Africa’s farming sector. Representing about 60 percent of the country’s white population, which itself makes up roughly 7.2 percent of the national total, they have long maintained strong cultural and economic ties to rural and agricultural life.
Those applying for refugee status in the U.S. cite not only land concerns but also crime, particularly farm-related violence, as a reason for fleeing. While farm attacks have garnered international attention, official police statistics indicate that only 44 of South Africa’s 26,000 recorded murders last year were tied to farming communities. Independent researchers emphasize that the vast majority of murder victims in the country are black.
Despite this, the narrative that white South Africans, and Afrikaners in particular, are facing targeted persecution has gained traction within far-right circles globally. Trump’s stance has been echoed by figures such as Elon Musk, himself a South African-born billionaire and a vocal ally of the president.
Tensions Rise Over Racial Land Policy
The South African government has since mounted an intensive campaign to mend ties with Washington. President Cyril Ramaphosa has deployed senior officials and business leaders to engage directly with Trump administration officials and U.S. lawmakers, seeking to rebuild trust and highlight shared economic interests.
South Africa’s broader diplomatic strategy includes defending its participation in global coalitions such as the G20 and clarifying its neutral stance on various international conflicts. Simultaneously, Pretoria is actively working to preserve its access to U.S. markets under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), a trade agreement that provides duty-free access to American markets and supports over 200,000 jobs in South Africa.
Deputy Trade Minister Andrew Whitfield confirmed that talks are ongoing between Pretoria and U.S. companies operating in South Africa, aimed at stabilizing investment flows and protecting the $14 billion annual trade relationship between the two countries. He also revealed that South Africa has formally requested an early renewal of AGOA to avoid potential disruptions.
As part of these reconciliation efforts, President Ramaphosa appointed Mcebisi Jonas, a former deputy finance minister known for his international credibility, as a special envoy to the U.S. According to diplomatic sources, South Africa is even considering appointing a white Afrikaner as its next ambassador to Washington — a gesture analysts say could help soften perceptions that South Africa’s domestic policies are racially motivated.
Yet for the first wave of incoming Afrikaner refugees, the journey marks what they hope will be a new chapter of security and opportunity, even as questions swirl over the legitimacy of their claims.
