49 White South Africans in US “Are Not Refugees: Reversing allegations of persecution, President Cyril Ramaphosa has forcefully informed US President Donald Trump that the 49 white South Africans who left for the United States on May 11, 2025 “are not refugees.”
Speaking at the Africa CEO Forum in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, on December 12, 2025, Ramaphosa underlined that these Afrikaners, granted refugee status by Trump, do not suffer “political persecution” or “economic persecution” in South Africa.
Deepening tensions between the two countries, the group’s leaving under Trump’s claims of “racial discrimination” and a “white genocide” has caused.
Supported by Minister of International Relations Ronald Lamola, Ramaphosa’s comments seek to refute what they describe as a false narrative propelled by anti-transformation forces.
A diplomatic collision over refugee claims
The dispute started when 49 Afrikaners—mostly of Dutch origin— boarded a chartered flight from OR Tambo International Airport to Washington, DC, on May 11, 2025. Citing “unjust racial discrimination” connected with the Expropriation Act, Trump’s February 2025 executive order, which stopped $440 million in US aid to South Africa, gave Afrikaners priority for refugee status.
In a direct call with Trump, Ramaphosa brushed off these allegations. Emphasising South Africa’s dedication to unity under leaders like Nelson Mandela, he remarked, “President, what you’ve been told by those people opposed to transformation back home in South Africa is not true,” he said.
“They can’t provide any proof of any persecution because there is not any form of persecution to white South Africans or to Afrikaners South African,” Minister of International Relations Ronald Lamola said.
Confirming the group holds South African citizenship under Section 20 of the Constitution, the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (Dirco) cautioned that contacting South African embassies may compromise their US refugee status owing of international law.
Outcry by AfriForum: A “Serious Indictment”
Calling the migration a “serious indictment” against the ANC, AfriForum CEO Kallie Kriel accused the government of “targeting Afrikaners” by means of legislation like the Expropriation Act, which permits land seizures without compensation in exceptional situations to redress apartheid-era injustices.
Kriel also attacked the ANC’s denial of denouncing the “kill the Boer” cry, judged free speech by a 2022 court verdict. Vowing to increase “international pressure” via AfriForum’s wereldwyd.co.za network, he added, “this refugee status is the direct result of the ANC-led government’s targeting of Afrikaners and other minority communities via discriminating racial legislation.”
Lamola pointed out, though, that even Afrikaner organizations like Solidarity have rejected Trump’s story; Solidarity said, “We love our country.” With farm murders (49 in 2023) accounting less than 1% of South Africa’s 27,000 yearly deaths, crime statistics further calls into question assertions of targeted violence, largely impacting young Black men in metropolitan areas.
Land Reform: An Unknown Policy
Central to the argument is the January 2025 signed Expropriation Act. With 73% of the land owned by white South Africans (7.3% of the population) and little property held by Black South Africans (81%), it seeks to redress past land discrepancies. Although no land has yet been taken, Ramaphosa referred to it as a “constitutionally mandated legal process” with court supervision.
Lamola criticized Trump’s assertions as “propagandistic,” drawing comparisons between it and US eminent domain rules. “The clause allowing for expropriation without compensation would be used only in rare circumstances,” a government spokesman clarified.
Social media messages capture conflicting emotions. While some users, like @SAUnityNow, contend, “running to the US won’t solve our problems,” others applaud the departure of the Afrikaners citing concerns of crime and economic downturn. SA has to be corrected by us together. Though the government claims it’s about fairness, not retribution, the wealth disparity—White homes earn 20 times more than Black ones—fuels calls for reform.
Trump’s Involvement and Musk’s Influence
Supported by adviser Elon Musk, Trump’s refugee plan has attracted over 8,200 Afrikaner applications since April 2025, with 100 screened for relocation. The story was further enhanced by Musk’s March 2025 X post denouncing the ANC of “actively promoting white genocide” by the “Kill the Boer” chanting. With Dirco’s Crispen Phiri declaring the gathering “very ordinary South Africans, including families with young children, not elite farmers,” Ramaphosa’s team met Musk to dispute false information.
The US action has damaged bilateral relations, partly supported by American citizens. To address the matter, Ramaphosa arranges a face-to-face meeting with Trump excluding Musk. “I thought in my conversation with him early in the morning at 4:00 South African time he understood,” Ramaphosa added, pushing ongoing communication.
Vision of South Africa for the Africa CEO Forum
Speaking at a panel focused on public-private cooperation at the 12th Africa CEO Forum, Ramaphosa made observations. Encouraging private sector involvement to capitalize Africa’s 1.4 billion-person market and $3.4 trillion GDP, he supported the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
“I could smell money,” he said, teasing investment in ports and road building. Emphasizing South Africa’s digital innovation leadership and strengthening relations with Côte d’Ivoire based on 2021 and 2022 visits, he also
With South Africa sending SANDF troops, his friendly conversation with Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame—who he referred to as “my brother—marked a sign-off on the DRC crisis. Emphasizing African-led peace projects like the Nairobi and Rwanda efforts, Ramaphosa added, “We have family meetings unbeknownst to many people.”
