South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has criticized a group of 59 white South Africans relocating to the United States, labeling them as “cowards” and predicting they would return soon. The Afrikaners, who arrived in the US on Monday after being granted refugee status by President Donald Trump, claim they are fleeing racial discrimination in South Africa.
Ramaphosa, speaking at an agricultural exhibition in the Free State, rejected the idea that these individuals were victims of discrimination. He described their decision to leave as a refusal to confront the country’s challenges. “As South Africans, we must stay here and solve our problems. Running away is cowardly,” he stated.
Trump, along with South African-born Elon Musk, has supported the claim of widespread violence against white farmers in South Africa, though this narrative has been widely debunked. The US government has also voiced concerns about land seizures from white farmers, despite the slow pace of land reform.
In January, Ramaphosa signed a controversial land expropriation law allowing for the possible seizure of land without compensation under specific conditions, though no land has been seized as of yet. He emphasized that South Africa’s future lies in resolving internal issues, not in fleeing them.
The US government welcomed the Afrikaners, with Deputy Secretary of State Chris Landau calling them victims of violence and terror in South Africa. Ramaphosa has dismissed these claims, stating that South Africa has not driven out its colonial settlers, unlike other African nations. He also emphasized that the refugees did not meet the requirements for asylum under US policy.
Ramaphosa is scheduled to meet with President Biden soon to discuss the matter. Meanwhile, Trump has threatened to boycott the upcoming G20 summit in South Africa unless the issue is addressed.
