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Hundreds of Afrikaners who sold their homes, left their jobs and relocated in anticipation of starting new lives in the United States are now facing an unexpected setback. According to South African media reports, US immigration authorities have begun issuing ineligibility letters to applicants under Washington’s controversial Afrikaner refugee programme, with no explanation and no opportunity to appeal. In response, Pretoria has sought to reassure those affected that South Africa remains their home, regardless of their political beliefs.
Speaking after Wednesday’s Cabinet meeting, Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni said the government had taken note of reports that white South Africans who sought to relocate to the United States under what she described as the “falsehood of a white genocide” had been denied visas.
She stressed that “South Africans irrespective of their political views will always have a home in this country without the fear of political persecution and suppression in accordance with the laws of the Republic.”
The announcement comes as many applicants find themselves in difficult circumstances. According to News24, some had already resigned from their jobs, sold their belongings, completed medical requirements and attended orientation sessions before learning that their applications had been rejected. The programme had appeared to offer a clear path to relocation after Washington expanded Afrikaner refugee admissions by 10,000 in May, despite South Africa’s repeated rejection of claims that white South Africans face genocide.
While defending its position, Cabinet also acknowledged the country’s broader challenges. It said South Africa continues to face serious socio-economic problems that affect citizens across all racial and gender groups. It added that addressing those issues requires a united national effort involving government, political parties, labour unions, businesses, civil society and individual citizens, while recognising the lasting effects of apartheid and the need to redress historical injustices.
The visa refusals are the latest strain in an already tense relationship between Pretoria and Washington, which has been tested by disagreements over land reform, trade and migration policy. South Africa’s ambassador to the United States, Roelf Meyer, is reportedly seeking to have the executive order underpinning the resettlement programme revoked. The initiative is estimated to have cost about R1.65 billion and has further complicated relations between the two countries.
The programme has also faced criticism in the United States. Senator Jeanne Shaheen has pointed out that the United Nations does not recognise Afrikaners or white South Africans as a persecuted group eligible for refugee protection.
Pretoria has consistently rejected the basis for the US programme, arguing that South Africa’s Constitution guarantees equal protection for all citizens and that claims of a white genocide misrepresent the country’s realities. A previous CNN investigation found no evidence to support the genocide allegations, even as President Donald Trump has continued to claim that white farmers are being “brutally killed and their land confiscated.”
Government officials also acknowledge that politics is only one factor behind emigration. Many South Africans leave because of violent crime, persistent power shortages, slow economic growth and high unemployment. For some applicants, the US refugee programme simply represented a rare opportunity to pursue greater stability and better economic prospects.
Rather than revisiting the political debate surrounding the migration programme, Pretoria has focused on a message of inclusion. It says every South African remains welcome, whether they chose to leave or now find themselves unable to settle in the United States.
Cabinet also approved plans to extend the validity of light motor vehicle driving licences from five years to 10 years, subject to legislative amendments, and endorsed the publication of a revised Electricity Pricing Policy for public comment. Even so, the government’s central message was directed at South Africans abroad: whatever their political views or personal choices, their country remains ready to welcome them home.
By: Andrews Kwesi Yeboah