President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced plans to meet with US President Donald Trump following the arrival of 49 Afrikaners in America under a special refugee arrangement. Speaking at the Africa CEO Forum in Abidjan on Monday, Ramaphosa stated that the migrants do not meet the internationally recognized criteria for refugee status.
He revealed that he had already spoken with Trump, expressing concern over what he called misinformation and requesting a face-to-face meeting to clarify the matter.
Ramaphosa explained that while some Afrikaners are resistant to transformation, the portrayal of them as persecuted individuals is inaccurate. His comments come after a chartered plane transported the group to the US, triggering diplomatic questions.
Government spokesperson Chrispin Phiri reinforced the president’s stance, stating that the claim of persecution is unfounded. He highlighted the continued presence of Afrikaans in schools and public life as evidence of inclusion, noting that Afrikaners are not exclusively white and remain prominent in various sectors of South African society.
The group reportedly left the country using valid South African passports. While the government says it won’t strip them of their citizenship, once they are accepted into the US refugee system, they cannot be repatriated by the US authorities.