 "White Genocide in South Africa? What Trump told Ramaphosa and what the facts say")
In what can only be labelled as another dramatic Oval Office encounter , United States President Donald Trump confronted South African President Cyril Ramaphosa with accusations of a supposed “white genocide,” alleging that the South African government is complicit in the targeted killings of white farmers, particularly white Afrikaner farmers.
The meeting, which was initially intended to repair strained ties between the two nations, quickly turned contentious as Trump presented curated video clips and news excerpts to support his claims.
In a presentation, Trump dimmed the lights in the Oval Office and played a series of videos intended to bolster his case. The footage included inflammatory speeches by opposition politicians and scenes from a 2020 memorial protest where white crosses were erected to honour murdered farmers.
As the video played, Trump told Ramaphosa, “These are burial sites right here. Burial sites. Over a thousand of white farmers.”
Trump, who has previously terminated all US aid to South Africa, reiterated his stance during the meeting : “People are fleeing South Africa for their own safety,” he said. “Their land is being confiscated and in many cases they’re being killed.”
He further alleged that the South African government is not only failing to protect white citizens, but is also actively pursuing policies that disadvantage them. “When they take the land, they kill the white farmer,” Trump said during the meeting.
What the numbers and courts say
South Africa has one of the highest murder rates globally, averaging around 72 homicides per day in a country of 60 million.
These high rates affect citizens across all racial and economic backgrounds. According to official police statistics, 26,232 murders were recorded nationwide in 2024. Of those, 44 were linked to farming communities, with eight identified as farmers.
Experts have consistently stated that while rural crime is a serious issue, it is not racially targeted. White South Africans, including farmers, are not statistically more likely to be victims of violent crime than other demographic groups.
A South African court in the Western Cape addressed this narrative directly earlier this year, ruling that claims of a “white genocide” were “clearly imagined and not real” and even barred a donation to a white supremacist organisation on those grounds.
During the White House meeting, Ramaphosa rejected Trump’s assertions, clarifying that the South African government does not endorse violence or land seizures based on race.
“We are completely opposed to that,” Ramaphosa said in response to Trump’s allegations. “That is not government policy,” he added, stating, “our government policy is completely, completely against what he was saying.”
What the land issue and the controversial law are
A significant part of Trump’s criticism centred on South Africa’s land reform policy , which he portrayed as a mechanism for state-sanctioned land confiscation from white owners. Since the end of apartheid in 1994, land ownership has remained disproportionately skewed.
Approximately 75 per cent of privately owned farmland remains under white ownership, although whites make up less than 8 per cent of the population.
To address this imbalance, South Africa passed a law in January that allows for expropriation of land without compensation under specific and limited conditions. However, the government has not exercised this option to date.
The policy’s stated aim is to address the enduring legacy of colonial and apartheid-era land dispossession, not to target individuals based on race.
Nevertheless, Trump and some of his allies, including South African-born entrepreneur Elon Musk, have depicted this reform as racially discriminatory.
Musk has accused the South African government of refusing his satellite internet service, Starlink, a license to operate “because he is not Black.” Musk has also posted multiple times about white farmer killings and has amplified unverified reports on social media.
What is the “Kill the Boer” controversy
In an effort to support his claims, Trump showed Ramaphosa a video of Julius Malema, the firebrand leader of the opposition Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), leading chants of the old anti-apartheid song “Kill the Boer, kill the farmer.” The song has been the subject of multiple legal challenges within South Africa.
South African courts have ruled that the song, which originated during the apartheid era as a symbol of resistance, does not constitute hate speech in its current usage.
Three separate judicial findings concluded that the lyrics are metaphorical and tied to a broader historical context. The EFF, in a statement after the White House meeting, said the song “expresses the desire to destroy the system of white minority control over the resources of South Africa” and is “a part of African Heritage.”
Nonetheless, the song remains deeply polarising. Trump described it during the meeting as an explicit call for violence against white farmers, which he claims validates his assertion of an ongoing “genocide.”
Ramaphosa seemed confused when shown a video segment featuring a roadside lined with white crosses. “I’d like to know where that is, because this I’ve never seen,” he remarked. Trump responded that the scene represented the burial sites of white farmers.
However, a New York Times investigation determined that the footage was taken at a protest in September 2020, near Newcastle, South Africa, following the murder of a white farming couple.
The crosses were symbolic, erected ahead of the event to honor slain farmers and later removed. They did not mark actual graves.
Where United States and South Africa stand
Wednesday’s meeting highlighted a stark deterioration in diplomatic relations between the United States and South Africa. Trump’s administration has cited not only land policy and farmer violence but also South Africa’s foreign policy stance as cause for concern.
The administration has criticised Pretoria for supporting “bad actors” globally, including Hamas and Iran.
An executive order issued in February by Trump formally cut all US financial assistance to South Africa. It accused the country of implementing antiwhite domestic policies and aligning with geopolitical rivals of the United States.
Despite this, Ramaphosa attempted to strike a conciliatory tone during and after the meeting. Referring to Trump as a “truly respected man in many, many circles,” he responded to Trump’s comment that “in some circles he’s considered a little controversial” by quipping, “We’re all like that.”
Ramaphosa later told reporters that Trump remained unconvinced despite his explanations. “You wanted to see drama and something really big happening,” he said.
“And I’m sorry that we disappointed you somewhat when it comes to that.” He added that Trump’s views on the issue appeared to stem from “doubt and disbelief” rather than conclusive evidence.
Zingiswa Losi, the president of a South African trade union federation and also present at the meeting, offered a broader perspective. She acknowledged the reality of violent crime in South Africa but pointed out that it was not racially driven.
“The problem in South Africa, it is not necessarily about race, but it’s about crime,” she said. “We are here to say how do we, both nations, work together to reset, to really talk about investment but also help … to really address the levels of crime we have in our country.”
Is there a ‘white genocide’ in South Africa?
Despite President Trump’s forceful presentation and graphic visuals, the claims of an ongoing white genocide in South Africa lack substantiating evidence.
Data from law enforcement agencies, rulings by the South African judiciary, and statements from both government and opposition figures suggest that while crime, including attacks on farmers, is a serious problem, it affects people of all races.
While political rhetoric — especially from figures like Malema — continues to generate controversy, there is no conclusive proof that South Africa is targeting its white minority through official or unofficial means.
The land reform process remains fraught and slow-moving, but has not yet involved state-sanctioned expropriation without compensation.
With inputs from agencies
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