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South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on Monday rejected claims that white people face persecution in his country, calling it a “completely false narrative.” His remarks were a direct pushback against allegations made by US President Donald Trump, billionaire Elon Musk, and some white minority groups in South Africa.
Elon Musk, who was born in South Africa, has repeatedly accused the black-led government of being anti-white. Over the weekend, he reignited the debate by alleging on social media that certain political figures in the country are “actively promoting white genocide.”
In his weekly address to the nation, Ramaphosa urged South Africans not to be divided by external influences.
“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,” he said.
Though Ramaphosa did not name anyone directly, his statement was seen as a response to claims by Trump and others that South Africa is deliberately mistreating its white minority, particularly Afrikaner farmers. These allegations were the basis for Trump’s executive order last month, which cut funding to South Africa and granted Afrikaners eligibility for refugee status in the US.
Afrikaners, descendants of Dutch and French settlers, were central to South Africa’s apartheid-era government, which systematically oppressed non-whites. Since apartheid ended in 1994, South Africa has largely pursued racial reconciliation, though economic and social disparities remain.
The controversy escalated after Musk shared a video from a rally of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), a far-left opposition party, where leaders sang the controversial song “Kill the Boer, the farmer.” Boer is a term for Afrikaners.
Musk claimed that “very few people know there is a major political party in South Africa that actively promotes white genocide.” His post gained traction, prompting US Senator Marco Rubio to call on South African leaders to “protect Afrikaners and other disadvantaged minorities.” Rubio also expressed support for offering Afrikaners refuge in the US.
The EFF, South Africa’s fourth-largest party, has long faced scrutiny for its rhetoric. The song, historically used as a chant against apartheid oppression, was previously ruled hate speech and banned by a court. However, a 2022 ruling determined it was protected under free speech laws, as there was no evidence it incited violence. The EFF argues it is a symbolic chant and has sometimes altered the lyrics to “kiss the Boer.”
Since Trump’s executive order, the South African government has been working to counter what it calls misinformation about farm attacks. While white farmers have been victims of violent crime, experts say there is no evidence they are being systematically targeted. South Africa has one of the world’s highest crime rates, affecting all racial groups.
An Afrikaner advocacy group has challenged official police statistics, claiming farm murders are underreported. It recently stated that there were eight farm killings between October and December last year, while police recorded only one. However, police data for the same period shows a total of 6,953 homicides across the country.
