Liberal Afrikaners Reject Trump’s ‘White Genocide’ Claim

Liberal Afrikaners Reject Trump’s ‘White Genocide’ Claim

While some white South Africans embrace Donald Trump’s controversial refugee offer, many liberal Afrikaners are pushing back refusing to be cast as victims in a country still grappling with its apartheid legacy.

In a move that stunned the international community, U.S. President Donald Trump issued an executive order earlier this year granting refugee status to white South Africans specifically Afrikaners citing "unjust racial discrimination" and what he called a looming “white genocide.” The order slashed U.S. aid to South Africa and facilitated the relocation of white South Africans to the U.S., with the first arrivals landing in May.

But far from universal applause, Trump’s actions have divided opinion among Afrikaners themselves.

“We are not the big victims in this story,” said Schalk van Heerden, a Dutch Reformed Church minister and co-founder of Betereinders, a reconciliation group aimed at bridging the racial divide. “We are privileged, we are grateful, and we’re thankful for everything we have.”

A Fractured Identity in Post-Apartheid South Africa

Afrikaners—descendants of Dutch and French settlers—were historically the architects and beneficiaries of apartheid, South Africa’s notorious policy of racial segregation that ended in 1994. Today, they represent just 4% of the population, yet still hold disproportionate economic power. Studies estimate white South Africans maintain 20 times the wealth of Black South Africans.

Trump’s framing of Afrikaners as persecuted minorities has ignited outrage among South Africa’s progressive Afrikaner community.

“For progressives, it’s extremely painful,” said Lindie Koorts, a history lecturer at the University of Pretoria. “We’re being misrepresented, and it undermines our efforts to build a shared future.”

Koorts referenced the Afrikaans phrase “ons is nie almal so nie” ("we are not all like that"), a sentiment used by liberal Afrikaners to distance themselves from the nation’s racist past while embracing reconciliation and shared identity.

Culture, Not Crisis

While some conservative Afrikaner groups, like the Solidarity Movement and AfriForum, have lobbied for international recognition of what they claim is cultural and political marginalization, others believe these narratives are overblown and self-serving.

“Our culture is not under threat,” said Emile Myburgh, a lawyer who grew up during apartheid but now identifies as a secular liberal. “We still celebrate Afrikaans literature and identity—but not at the expense of others.”

Young voices are echoing this view. Zahria van Niekerk, a 22-year-old fashion student, rejects the notion that Afrikaans, spoken today by millions of Black South Africans, is in decline.

“My whole family speaks Afrikaans. As long as I can speak it with them, I’m not concerned.”

The ‘Farm Murders’ Controversy

Central to Trump’s claims is the belief that white South African farmers are being systematically targeted for their race. During a meeting in May with President Cyril Ramaphosa at the White House, Trump cited sensational media reports of racially motivated killings.

However, crime statistics tell a more nuanced story. In the last quarter of 2024, only 12 farm-related murders—spread across all races—were recorded out of nearly 7,000 total murders in the country.

Emil van Maltitz, a 21-year-old trilingual economics graduate and farmer’s son, said rural violence is a complex issue.

“Most farmers are white Afrikaners, so it’s easy to interpret attacks as racial. But really, everyone in rural areas is vulnerable,” he said, noting that his father often mentors Black farmers. “South Africans need to work together. I love our diversity.”

Betereinders: From Bitterness to Brotherhood

Van Heerden’s group, Betereinders (a wordplay on “bittereinders,” Boer War fighters who refused to surrender), embodies this spirit of unity. Since 2017, the group has hosted monthly braais (barbecues) where Afrikaners and Black South Africans break bread together in townships—places long neglected by the privileges of white minority rule.

In response to Trump’s refugee scheme, Betereinders launched a billboard campaign with the message: “Not USA. You, SA.” Their call: stay, engage, and build a better South Africa.

“We want to be proud of who we are,” Van Heerden said. “But not at the cost of denying the privileges we still enjoy.”

Conclusion: Progress over Pity

Trump’s controversial move has, unintentionally, stirred a deeper conversation within the Afrikaner community one about responsibility, identity, and the future of reconciliation in a still-divided country.

While a few may flee under the banner of persecution, a growing number are staying to confront the past and shape a shared future.

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