On Saturday, a group of white South Africans gathered at the U.S. Embassy in Pretoria to show support for President Donald Trump and to voice their concerns about being victims of racism from their own government. Protesters held signs with messages like “Thank God for President Trump” and criticised what they view as discriminatory laws enacted by the South African government, which they believe negatively affect the white minority.
Many of those present were from the Afrikaner community, whom Trump had singled out in an executive order the previous week. The order, which cut aid to the Black-led South African government, claimed that the Afrikaners—descendants of Dutch colonial settlers—were being unfairly targeted by a new law allowing the government to seize private land.
The South African government has denied that the new law is racially motivated, stating that Trump’s claims about the country and the law are filled with misinformation and exaggerations. The law has not yet resulted in land seizures, despite Trump’s statement that land was being taken from “racially disfavored landowners.” Trump also proposed granting Afrikaners refugee status in the U.S., though they represent only a portion of South Africa’s white population.
The South African government asserts that the land expropriation law is intended to address inequality, as the majority of farmland is owned by whites, despite them comprising only 7% of the country’s population.
In addition to the land expropriation issue, some white protesters also raised concerns about affirmative action policies, such as Black Economic Empowerment, introduced after apartheid ended in 1994. These policies aim to improve opportunities for Black South Africans but have sparked frustration among some white citizens.
Elon Musk, a prominent Trump supporter and South African native, has also criticized South Africa’s government, accusing it of being anti-white. Musk’s criticism has sparked debate, especially as he has faced obstacles in obtaining a license for his Starlink satellite service due to South Africa’s affirmative action laws.
Despite ongoing racial tensions, South Africa has made progress in reconciling its diverse population in the years following apartheid. The current government consists of a coalition of 10 political parties, both Black-led and white-led, working together to govern the country.
