Andrew Caballero- Reynolds / AFP
The United States Embassy in South Africa is acting on President Donald Trump’s offer to resettle Afrikaners who he said were victims of “egregious” actions of the South African government.
The Embassy said in a post on X that it was working with the Department of Homeland Security to promote and prioritise humanitarian relief, including “consideration of eligibility for admission and resettlement to the United States for Afrikaners who are victims of unjust racial discrimination”.
The US Embassy said the action is consistent with an executive order by the US President to address "aggregious actions" of South Africa following the passing of the Expropriation Act.
Trump announced earlier in February that South Africa was "confiscating" land and "treating certain classes of people very badly" as he announced his plan to cut funding.
"I will be cutting off all future funding to South Africa until a full investigation of this situation has been completed!" he wrote on his Truth Social platform.
In an earlier statement, the Department of International Relations and Cooperation said it was of great concern that the foundational premise of Trum’s order “lacks factual accuracy and fails to recognize South Africa's profound and painful history of colonialism and apartheid".
Dirco said it was also concerned by what seems to be a campaign of misinformation and propaganda aimed at misrepresenting the country.
“It is disappointing to observe that such narratives seem to have found favor among decision-makers in the United States of America," the statement added.
The statement also described as "ironic" that the US government is offering the "most economically privileged" Afrikaners refuge in their country while simultaneously deporting people from other nations and asylum seekers.
Update on President Trump’s Executive Order on Addressing Egregious Actions of the Republic of South Africa: pic.twitter.com/VtYcNoBn31
— US Embassy SA (@USEmbassySA) February 12, 2025
The organization, Afriforum, which had previously approached the US to take action against South Africa over the land question, said the ANC leadership must be punished for enacting the legislation.
The organization however said that ordinary South Africans should not be punished.
At a weekend media briefing Afriforum said they don’t want to move elsewhere, nor would they ask their children to move to another country.
“We have interests of future generations and to make sure our culture is passed down to future generations; that cannot be done abroad,” said CEO, Kallie Kriel.
Flip Buys of the Solidarity Movement said they did not call for sanctions against South Africa or that funds for vulnerable people be cut off by the US government.
However, they argued that the attempts by the Presidency, the ANC, and their allies’ attempts to blame AfriForum for Trump’s statements is a clear attempt from President Cyril Ramaphosa and the ANC to try to exculpate themselves from the negative consequences of their own thoughtless, extremist policy courses and actions.
He went on to say that the USA’s actions against the government’s breach of property rights and discrimination against minorities in South Africa can, according to Kriel, be intensified due to the ANC deciding to reach out to Hamas and to build relationships with countries such as Iran.
“Neutrality could have ensured that South Africa could, without hindrance, continue their trade relationship with China and the USA, the country’s two largest trade partners,” Kriel added.
This week, the official opposition party in Parliament, MK Party, laid a charge of treason against Afriforum.
