Faith Nyasuguta
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has strongly rejected claims that white people face persecution in South Africa, calling it a “completely false narrative.” His remarks came in response to accusations from U.S. President Donald Trump, billionaire Elon Musk, and some white minority groups.
Musk, who was born in South Africa, has repeatedly accused the country’s black-led government of being anti-white. Over the weekend, he reignited controversy with a social media post alleging that some political figures in South Africa are “actively promoting white genocide.”
In his weekly address to the nation, Ramaphosa urged South Africans not to let external forces divide them. “In particular,” he said, “we should challenge the completely false narrative that our country is a place where people of a certain race or culture are targeted for persecution.”
Though Ramaphosa did not name names, his statement appeared to push back against recent allegations by Trump and Musk that the South African government deliberately mistreats the white Afrikaner minority by encouraging violent attacks on their farms and introducing legislation to seize their land.
These claims formed the basis of an executive order signed by Trump last month, which cut U.S. funding to South Africa while offering Afrikaners refugee status in the United States.
Afrikaners are descendants of Dutch and French settlers who arrived in South Africa over 300 years ago. Historically, they played a central role in the apartheid regime, which systematically oppressed non-white South Africans. Since the end of apartheid in 1994, South Africa has made strides in racial reconciliation, but tensions remain.
Musk’s latest post referenced a political rally held last Friday, where leaders of the far-left Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) party sang a controversial song containing the lyrics: “Kill the Boer, the farmer.” “Boer” is a term for Afrikaners.
“Very few people know that there is a major political party in South Africa that actively promotes white genocide,” Musk wrote, linking to a video of the rally.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio echoed Musk’s concerns, condemning the song as a “chant that incites violence.” Rubio added that South African leaders must “protect Afrikaners and other disadvantaged minorities,” and praised the U.S. for offering sanctuary to those at risk.
The EFF, South Africa’s fourth-largest political party, holds about 9.5% of seats in parliament. It has previously faced criticism for stoking racial tensions, with its use of the song drawing widespread debate. The song, originally a rallying cry against apartheid, has been legally challenged multiple times. A court banned it over a decade ago, deeming it hate speech, but a 2022 ruling found the song did not incite violence and was protected under free speech laws. The EFF maintains that the song is part of South Africa’s liberation history and should not be taken literally. In some cases, the lyrics have been altered to say “kiss the Boer.”
The South African government has pushed back against claims of white persecution, saying violent attacks on white farmers are part of the country’s broader crime crisis, which affects all races. While white farmers have been victims of violent crimes, experts say there is no credible evidence of a targeted campaign against them.
Farm homicides have been a point of contention. Afrikaner groups claim that police underreport such cases, alleging there were eight farm murders between October and December last year, while police recorded only one. During the same period, South Africa recorded 6,953 homicides in total, highlighting the country’s widespread violence.
Ramaphosa’s rejection of the “white genocide” narrative sheds light on South Africa’s ongoing struggle to address crime and racial tensions without fueling division. As global figures like Trump and Musk amplify these claims, the South African government is determined to counter what it views as dangerous misinformation.
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