US-South Africa Relations Sour Over Land Expropriation and Refugee Policy
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Around 70,000 South Africans have expressed interest in relocating to the United States following Washington’s initiative to resettle members of the Afrikaner community, according to a business organization.
The South African Chamber of Commerce in the USA (Saccusa) reported a surge in inquiries on its website from individuals seeking details about the program.
In a February executive order, President Donald Trump declared that Afrikaners—descendants of predominantly Dutch settlers from the 17th century—qualify for refugee status as they are “victims of unjust racial discrimination.”
Since Trump assumed office in January, relations between the US and South Africa have worsened.
Saccusa described the submission of the registration list to the US embassy in Pretoria as a “significant milestone.” A representative from the embassy confirmed to the BBC that the document had been received.
Neil Diamond, Saccusa’s president, stated that 67,042 individuals had registered, most bearing Afrikaner or English surnames. The organization highlighted that the majority of applicants are aged 25 to 45 and typically have two to three dependents.
Saccusa, which represents South African businesspeople residing in the US, is not a government entity but became involved in the registration process due to a sharp rise in inquiries about the resettlement program, Diamond explained to broadcaster at Newzroom Afrika.
Some white South Africans claim to face discrimination, a concern that has gained traction among right-wing groups in the US.
However, more than three decades after apartheid ended, South Africa’s white minority continues to control most of the nation’s private land and wealth.
Tensions between Pretoria and Washington escalated in January when South African President Cyril Ramaphosa enacted laws permitting land expropriation without compensation in cases deemed to serve the “public interest.”
This legislation followed long-standing demands for land redistribution, with activists and political leaders advocating for farmland to be transferred from white landowners to Black South Africans.
In response, Trump issued an executive order granting refugee status to Afrikaners, asserting that they faced “state-sanctioned racial discrimination.”
By March, Trump expanded the offer to include all South African farmers, describing the country as “a dangerous place for them.”
The following month, he reduced financial aid to South Africa.
Ramaphosa refuted Trump’s assertions, stating that no land had been seized and that the new legislation aimed to ensure “fair and just access to land in accordance with the constitution.”
Despite this, diplomatic tensions have deepened. Recently, Washington expelled South Africa’s ambassador, with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio labeling him a “race-baiting politician”.
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