PRETORIA, South Africa — A group of white South Africans gathered outside the U.S. Embassy in Pretoria on Saturday, rallying in support of President Donald Trump. The demonstrators claimed to be victims of discrimination by their own government, holding signs that expressed gratitude towards Trump and criticized, what they described as, racially biased laws enacted by the South African administration against the white minority population.
The protesters primarily consisted of individuals from the Afrikaner community, who were foregrounded in an executive order issued by Trump just a week prior. This order revoked aid to the Black-led South African government, citing that Afrikaners were being unfairly targeted by a new law permitting the state to expropriate private farmland. Afrikaners are descendants of Dutch colonial settlers, and the order characterized them as “racially disfavored landowners.”
The South African government has refuted claims that the expropriation law is racially motivated, asserting that misinformation has clouded Trump’s statements regarding both the country and the legislation. Trump conveyed that land was being unjustly taken from Afrikaners, yet the government stated that there have been no actual instances of land expropriation under the new law. In addition, Trump proposed a plan to grant refugee status in the U.S. to Afrikaners, who represent just a segment of South Africa’s white populace.
In a recent address to Parliament, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa emphasized that the forced displacement of any community from their land would not be tolerated in the nation again. He reminded listeners of the historical injustices faced by millions of Black South Africans who were dispossessed of their property during the apartheid regime and centuries of colonial rule. “The people of this country know the pain of forced removals,” Ramaphosa remarked, clarifying that the law is meant for land redistribution to serve the public interest, rather than arbitrary seizures.
The criticism from the Trump administration has spotlighted ongoing tensions in South Africa concerning the need to rectify the legacies of white minority rule that have marginalized the Black majority. According to governmental sources, the land reform initiative aims to redress the imbalance where a vast majority of agricultural land is owned by whites, who constitute only 7% of the overall population.
The rallying demonstrators brought attention to the expropriation law and other affirmative action measures established post-apartheid in 1994, such as the Black Economic Empowerment policies. These efforts, designed to enhance opportunities for Black citizens, have generated frustrations among some members of the white community.
Elon Musk, a prominent advisor to Trump who grew up in South Africa, has also castigate the government, alleging it demonstrates anti-white tendencies over the years. However, critics have raised doubts about his intentions, particularly as he has struggled to secure a license for his Starlink satellite internet service in South Africa due to non-compliance with affirmative action standards.
Although racial considerations have historically influenced South African politics, the nation has made significant strides in fostering a reconciled society after apartheid. The current governing body consists of various political parties, both Black-led and white-led, collaborating in an effort towards nation-building.
