The South African government and advocacy groups for Afrikaners rejected Wednesday the Trump administration's assertion of a humanitarian emergency for the country's white minority, the rationale for raising the US refugee cap exclusively for them.
The Trump administration said Tuesday it will admit an additional 10,000 white South Africans as refugees this year, increasing its annual quota while blocking others.
President Donald Trump cited “recent increases in the incitement of racially motivated violence” to justify the move, without offering specifics.
South African Foreign Ministry spokesperson Chrispin Phiri said accusations of systemic persecution are unfounded, noting some beneficiaries have already returned to South Africa. Around 6,000 South Africans have moved to the US under the Afrikaner programme since last year.
Afrikaner trade union Solidariteit stated refugee status is not a viable solution; spokesperson Jaco Kleynhans said the union is unaware of any emergency refugee situation.
AfriForum, a lobbying group for the white Afrikaner minority with over 300,000 members, said it “does not have information” regarding the emergency claim. CEO Kallie Kriel emphasized the group's focus is on creating conditions in South Africa where leaving is unnecessary.
Advocates and refugee groups question why white South Africans are prioritized over those fleeing war and natural disasters, warning such selective humanitarianism risks politicizing and weakening the refugee system.