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South African white genocide does not exist, new ambassador to US tells BBC

September 25, 2026

South Africa's new ambassador to the United States, Roelf Meyer, is directly challenging President Trump's claims of genocide against white Afrikaners in his country. Meyer, himself an Afrikaner who helped negotiate the end of apartheid in the 1990s, states that no such mass violence exists and that the facts have been misrepresented. Despite this, the Trump administration has admitted nearly 13,000 South African refugees since last year and plans to accept 17,500 more white Afrikaners over the next 12 months through a special refugee pathway.

Who is affected

  • White Afrikaners in South Africa
  • South African farmers and their families
  • Roelf Meyer, South Africa's ambassador to the US
  • President Donald Trump
  • President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa
  • Nearly 13,000 South African refugees already admitted to the United States (all but three were South African)
  • Lielie and her family (refugees who relocated to Texas)
  • SJ Du Venage and other Afrikaners applying for refugee status
  • An Afrikaner lobby group organizing a vigil

What action is being taken

  • The Trump administration is processing refugee applications for white Afrikaners
  • The Trump administration is planning to admit up to 17,500 additional white Afrikaners as refugees over the next 12 months
  • An Afrikaner lobby group is holding a vigil on Saturday with thousands of white crosses on Washington's National Mall

Why it matters

  • This situation represents a significant diplomatic tension between the United States and South Africa, with the refugee pathway based on claims that have been discredited by every major political party in South Africa, including Afrikaner representatives. The issue touches on sensitive historical dynamics related to apartheid and carries implications for US-South Africa relations, immigration policy, and how violence and safety concerns are characterized and addressed internationally.

What's next

  • An Afrikaner lobby group vigil is scheduled for Saturday on Washington's National Mall
  • The Trump administration plans to admit up to 17,500 additional white Afrikaners as refugees over the next 12 months
  • Ambassador Meyer would like to have a conversation with Trump about the reality of the situation

Read full article from source: BBC