White South Africans Gather in Support of President Trump

Protests Erupt in Pretoria Amid Claims of Racism Against White South Africans

PRETORIA, South Africa — On Saturday, a group of white South Africans gathered outside the U.S. Embassy in Pretoria to voice their support for President Donald Trump, asserting that they are victims of systemic racism perpetrated by their own government.

The demonstration attracted hundreds of participants who carried signs proclaiming “Thank God for President Trump,” alongside various messages that criticized what they perceive as discriminatory legislation against the white minority in South Africa.

Many of the protesters identified with the Afrikaner community, whom Trump recently highlighted in an Executive Order that suspended aid to the Black-led South African government. In his order, Trump alleged that Afrikaners, descendants of predominantly Dutch settlers, are facing discrimination due to a new law that permits the government to expropriate private land.

The South African government has rejected the notion that this law is racially motivated, stating that Trump’s assertions are riddled with inaccuracies and misconceptions.

Trump claimed that Afrikaners are losing their land under this law, referring to them as “racially disfavored landowners,” despite no land having been confiscated as a result of the legislation. He also proposed a plan to grant refugee status in the U.S. to Afrikaners, who represent only a segment of South Africa’s white population.

In a recent address to Parliament, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa stated that the forced eviction of any individuals from their land would never again be tolerated, following the historical injustices faced by millions of Black South Africans under apartheid and centuries of colonial rule.

“The citizens of this nation understand the trauma of forced removals,” Ramaphosa remarked. He clarified that the land expropriation law does not permit arbitrary land grabs and is intended solely for the redistribution of land for the benefit of the public.

The Trump administration’s criticism and punitive measures regarding South Africa have brought to the forefront a longstanding issue in the nation: how to rectify the injustices established during centuries of white minority governance that marginalized the Black majority.

According to government sources, the land reform policy seeks to rectify the imbalance where a majority of farmland is owned by the white minority, who account for just 7% of the national population.

Protesters on Saturday not only highlighted the expropriation law but also expressed grievances regarding affirmative action policies, known as Black Economic Empowerment, that have been implemented since the end of apartheid in 1994 to improve opportunities for Black South Africans. These policies have sparked frustration among certain segments of the white population.

Elon Musk, a prominent adviser to Trump who spent his formative years in South Africa, has also voiced criticisms of the South African government, labeling it as anti-white. However, his motives have been met with skepticism, especially after his recent failure to secure a license for his Starlink satellite internet service in South Africa, due to not meeting the country’s affirmative action standards.

While racial issues have historically shaped South African politics, the country has made significant strides in reconciling its diverse population in the years following apartheid. The current government comprises a coalition of ten political parties, both Black and white, collaborating towards a unified vision.

—Imray reported from Cape Town, South Africa