South African president Cyril Ramaphosa on Monday dismissed allegations that white people, particularly Afrikaners, are being persecuted in South Africa.
His statement counters claims made by US president Donald Trump, billionaire Elon Musk, and certain white minority groups. These accusations include claims of “white genocide” and targeted farm attacks. They argue that South Africa’s Black-led government is unfairly targeting Afrikaners, descendants of Dutch and French settlers.
Ramaphosa did not name anyone directly but said in his weekly address that South Africans should not let outside influences divide them. He insisted that there is no truth to the claim that people are being persecuted because of their race or culture.
“We should not allow events beyond our shores to divide us or turn us against each other. In particular, we should challenge the completely false narrative that our country is a place in which people of a certain race or culture are being targeted for persecution,” he said, reported news agency Associated Press.
The controversy was ignited when Musk, a South Africa-born billionaire, accused on X some South African political figures of “actively promoting white genocide.” His statement followed a rally by the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), a far-left opposition party, where members sang a controversial song with the lyrics “Kill the Boer, the farmer.”
Trump also recently issued an executive order cutting US funding to South Africa and offering Afrikaners refugee status in the US. His move was based on claims that South Africa’s government is encouraging farm attacks and introducing land seizure laws targeting white farmers.
He on Monday reiterated his stand by posting a screengrab of Musk’s tweet on his Truth Social.
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South Africa has high violent crime rates affecting all racial groups. According to news agency Associated Press, experts say that while farm murders do occur, they make up a small percentage of the country’s overall homicide rate. In the last recorded three-month period, police reported nearly 7,000 murders across South Africa, with only a handful occurring on farms.
Despite these facts, groups representing Afrikaners claim farm attacks are underreported. Some organisations have challenged the use of the song sung at the EFF rally, arguing it incites violence. While a court previously ruled it as hate speech, a 2022 decision determined that it was protected under freedom of speech.
