South African Foreign Minister Ronald Lamola has strongly criticized the US refugee program for resettling Afrikaners, describing it as "Apartheid 2.0". Speaking at the African Diaspora Forum in Washington, Lamola argued that the program unfairly prioritizes white South Africans while excluding other racial groups. The initiative, established by US President Donald Trump through an executive order in February 2025, allows Afrikaners to be resettled as refugees in the US, sparking controversy and debate.
The program has been met with mixed reactions in South Africa. The Democratic Alliance, the second-largest party in the country's coalition government, welcomed Lamola's condemnation, urging him to oppose race-based policies at home. The party called for economic justice and equal opportunities, without relying on arbitrary racial categories. Afrikaners are a predominantly white, Afrikaans-speaking ethnic group descended mainly from Dutch, German, and French settlers who arrived in southern Africa during the 17th century.
Trump's executive order alleged that Afrikaners faced state-sponsored racial discrimination, violence, and farmland confiscation under South Africa's Expropriation Act. However, Pretoria has rejected these allegations, insisting that the legislation aims to address land inequalities inherited from apartheid and that no private property has been confiscated. The US expanded the initiative in May 2026, increasing the annual refugee admissions ceiling from 7,500 to 17,500 and reserving the additional places for Afrikaners.
AfriForum, a group that had lobbied Washington over alleged discrimination against Afrikaners, stated that it does not have information about the claimed emergency that led to the expansion of the program. The group's priority is creating conditions that would allow Afrikaners to remain in South Africa. More than 13,000 South Africans have since been resettled in the US, according to State Department figures.
Applicants for the program must establish past persecution or a credible fear of future persecution and undergo security screening. However, dozens have reportedly received rejection notices with no detailed explanation, and these decisions cannot be appealed. Cases examined through information requests included denials linked to criminal records and public-safety concerns.
The US refugee program for Afrikaners has been met with criticism, with many arguing that it unfairly targets specific racial groups. The program has also raised questions about the US approach to refugee admissions and its stance on racial policies. The controversy has sparked a diplomatic row between the US and South Africa, with Lamola's comments highlighting the deep-seated tensions.
The diplomatic fallout is likely to have implications for US-South Africa relations, particularly in areas such as trade and security cooperation. The US and South Africa have historically enjoyed strong ties, but the refugee program has exposed underlying tensions and disagreements on issues such as racial policy and human rights.
Key points
- South Africa's Foreign Minister Ronald Lamola condemns the US refugee program for Afrikaners as "Apartheid 2.0", citing racial bias.
- The program allows Afrikaners to be resettled as refugees in the US, sparking controversy and debate.
- Over 13,000 South Africans have been resettled in the US under the program, according to State Department figures.
