South Africa has voiced strong objections to a US refugee resettlement programme that has recently prioritized white Afrikaner farmers.
Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ronald Lamola, described the initiative as “Apartheid 2.0,” highlighting the government’s concerns over racial preferential treatment in the programme.
Lamola Criticizes US Approach
Speaking at a media conference on 27 August, Minister Lamola condemned the Trump administration’s decision to offer refuge to white South Africans, including Afrikaners and other minorities.
“With our history… preferential treatment of a particular privileged group, the Afrikaners, who are not running away from any genocide in this country, is definitely Apartheid 2.0,” Lamola said.
He emphasized that the South African government does not recognize the programme as a legitimate refugee initiative, noting that under international law, those relocating do not meet the UN definition of refugees.
“We have maintained that as the South African government, we don’t agree that this is a refugee programme, because there is no genocide in South Africa,” Lamola added.
US Executive Order and Afrikaner Arrivals
The programme stems from a February executive order signed by former President Donald Trump, which allows minority groups to resettle in the US on the basis of alleged racial discrimination.
Since the order was enacted, two groups of Afrikaners have already arrived in the US, with more expected in the coming months.
No Obligation to Fast-Track Kenyan Volunteers
In addition to criticizing the programme, Minister Lamola addressed the US request to expedite visas for Kenyan nationals who will assist in processing refugee applications in South Africa.
“There is no obligation, no duty for the South African government to assist the US government with this refugee programme,” he said.
“It’s an individual application by those individuals, and Home Affairs has processed it in accordance with its laws.”
The US State Department aims to send 30 Kenyan volunteers to South Africa under the Resettlement Support Centre (RSC) Africa, operated by the Church World Service and partnered with the US Refugee Admissions Programme (USRAP).
The volunteers are expected to live in South Africa for the next two years on a volunteer visa and help fast-track applications for US-bound refugees.
Coordinating the Resettlement Process
According to the US Embassy, RSC Africa will coordinate communication and application processing for all African applicants moving to the US under the programme.
The volunteers’ role is strictly to assist the US Embassy, not the South African government, reinforcing Lamola’s point that South Africa has no formal responsibility in the initiative.
