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Afrikaner groups have vowed to find local solutions to land policies instead of resettling in the US
Prominent Afrikaner (white South African) organizations, including AfriForum and the Solidarity Movement, have rejected an offer from US President Donald Trump to resettle in the United States as refugees, reaffirming their commitment to remain in South Africa.
The proposal was part of an executive order signed on Friday, which also suspended US financial assistance to the country over concerns about land expropriation policies and South Africa’s legal action against Israel at the International Court of Justice.
”We don’t want to move elsewhere, and we are not going to ask our children now to move to another country. We have interests of future generations and to make sure our culture is passed down to future generations; that cannot be done abroad,” Kallie Kriel, CEO of AfriForum, stated at a media briefing in the capital, Pretoria.
Flip Buys, chairman of the Solidarity Movement, has echoed the sentiment, emphasizing that while Afrikaners may disagree with the ruling African National Congress (ANC), they remain dedicated to their homeland and see no need for refugee status.
The South African government has criticized the US executive order, calling it misleading and based on misinformation. Officials have pointed out that Afrikaners remain among the country’s most economically privileged groups and dismissed the claim that they face state-endorsed discrimination.
Afrikaners are descendants of European settlers, primarily from the Netherlands, who arrived in present-day South Africa in the 17th century. When the country transitioned to a multiracial democracy in 1994, ending decades of apartheid, white farmers continued to hold the majority of agricultural land. The South African government has since aimed to redistribute 30% of farmland to black farmers by 2030.
South Africa's Department of International Relations and Cooperation noted that US aid to the country primarily funds HIV/AIDS prevention programs and described the resettlement provision as inconsistent with the US government’s broader immigration policies.
President Cyril Ramaphosa recently signed legislation allowing for land expropriation without compensation under conditions deemed just and equitable, aiming to address historical land ownership disparities dating back to the apartheid era. The law has sparked controversy, with critics warning of potential economic repercussions and international backlash.
Despite the political tension, Afrikaner groups have stressed their focus on finding domestic solutions rather than supporting sanctions or seeking international intervention.
“We are committed to finding solutions locally. Afrikaners want recognition as a group, not privilege in their country of birth,” Kriel reaffirmed.
