A new group of South Africans has arrived in the United States under a controversial resettlement programme aimed at racial minorities, including Afrikaners and white farmers.
This marks the third group known to have made the journey since former President Donald Trump launched the initiative.
The programme has sparked debate both in South Africa and abroad, with Trump’s administration positioning it as a way to help those allegedly facing racial discrimination back home.
Trump’s Executive Order Fast-Tracks Resettlement
In February, Trump signed an Executive Order fast-tracking the plight of predominantly white South Africans.
The move came amid a broader suspension of the US refugee programme for other countries, making this initiative highly selective and politically charged.
US intelligence expert Chris Wyatt reported that the latest group arrived on Thursday, 28 August.
Once in the country, they are assigned housing, food, and essential resources to help them settle into their new lives.
They are also offered a “start-up” loan to help get them on their feet.
Wyatt, a retired military officer and outspoken political commentator, encouraged the new arrivals to integrate quickly, saying, “Don’t sit out there on your bum. Go get a job and start paying taxes.”
He defended the group’s status as refugees, pointing to the UN definition of people facing racial persecution.
South African Government Pushes Back
South Africa’s International Relations Minister, Ronald Lamola, has strongly criticized the programme.
Speaking at a media briefing on Wednesday, Lamola accused the US of giving preferential treatment to a “privileged group” and labeled the initiative as “Apartheid 2.0.”
“With our history, offering preferential treatment to Afrikaners—who are not fleeing genocide—is deeply concerning,” Lamola said.
“This is clearly an emigration programme for a particular group in South Africa that happens to be Afrikaners.”
Lamola also noted that, under the UN Convention, these white South Africans do not meet the criteria for refugee status, as there is no genocide occurring in the country.
He emphasized that the South African government does not recognize the initiative as a legitimate refugee programme.
The Debate Continues
As more South Africans take up the opportunity to resettle in the US, questions remain over the legitimacy and fairness of the programme.
Do white South Africans facing emigration really qualify as refugees, or is this preferential treatment for a select demographic?
