South African Minister Rejects Claims of ‘White Genocide’ Citing New Crime Data

South Africa’s police minister has dismissed persistent claims of a so-called “white genocide” in the country, arguing that newly released crime statistics contradict such allegations.

This assertion comes after former U.S. President Donald Trump reignited the controversial narrative during a meeting with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, stating that white farmers were being “persecuted” and targeted with violence.

Speaking on Friday, Police Minister Senzo Mchunu disclosed crime figures from January to March, revealing that of six individuals murdered on farms, five were black and only one was white. In the previous quarter (October to December 2024), twelve farm-related homicides were reported, with just one victim being a white farm owner.

This marks the first time the government has categorized farm murder victims by race. Mchunu said the move was prompted by ongoing international claims alleging targeted violence against white South Africans.

He criticized the historical portrayal of farm attacks as skewed and misleading, adding that the narrative has often been manipulated. A South African judge had previously described the notion of a white genocide as a “figment of the imagination” while presiding over a legal dispute involving a donation to a white nationalist group.

Despite lacking evidence, these claims have long circulated in right-wing circles abroad, especially in the United States.

President Ramaphosa’s recent visit to the White House was intended to improve diplomatic ties, which have frayed since Trump’s administration granted asylum to nearly 60 Afrikaners—descendants of Dutch settlers—on the grounds of alleged racial persecution.

During the meeting, Trump presented visual materials to support his assertion of systemic violence against white farmers. However, a BBC investigation concluded that much of this evidence was false or misleading.

Minister Mchunu reaffirmed that the South African government respects the United States and its people, but stressed that the genocide narrative holds no truth and is not supported by credible data.

While acknowledging the country’s high crime rates, Mchunu emphasized that all racial groups are affected by violence, not just white citizens.

He also rejected claims—repeated by Trump—that the South African government is forcefully taking land from white farmers. Although President Ramaphosa recently enacted legislation that permits land expropriation without compensation under specific conditions, officials maintain that no land has been seized under this law so far.

The legislation is part of broader efforts to address long-standing land inequality in South Africa, where white citizens continue to own the majority of private land despite the end of apartheid more than three decades ago.

Bilateral relations between South Africa and the U.S. have deteriorated under Trump’s leadership, with actions such as aid cuts and the expulsion of South Africa’s ambassador contributing to the tensions.

Source: BBC

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