Minister in the Presidency, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni said South Africa has 41,000 commercial farmers, and therefore reports of 72,000 white farmers seeking refugee status are untrue.
Image: Itumeleng English / Independent Newspapers
Government has dismissed, with contempt, widespread claims of more than 70,000 commercial farmers having applied to take up US President Donald Trump for Afrikaners to relocate to United States as refugees.
Earlier this month, IOL reported that the South African Chamber of Commerce in the USA (SACCUSA) insisted it had received overwhelming interest from Afrikaner farmers seeking to take up the refugee offer extended by Trump. At the time, SACCUSA officials claimed they had arrived in South Africa from US, and handed over the list of more than 70,000 South Africans to the embassy of the United States in Pretoria.
On Thursday, Minister in the Presidency, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni addressed a post-Cabinet media briefing, where she told journalists that the claims are incorrect.
"Cabinet is also aware of the false claim that there are approximately 72,000 white farmers who have signed up to relocate to the USA in response to the invitation by the US President.
"According to data, from AgriSA, StatsSA, and the Department of Agriculture, South Africa only has just over 41,000 commercial farmers, and therefore there cannot be 72,000 commercial farmers leaving South Africa," said Ntshavheni.
Thousands of Afrikaners descended on the US diplomatic mission to show support and hand over grievances directed at President Donald Trump.
Image: File
In February, IOL reported that farming associations and experts in South Africa have raised concern about the impact on the agriculture sector after an Executive Order signed by Trump granting refugee status to Afrikaners from South Africa.
The order has sent ripples of concern throughout the agricultural sector, prompting farming associations and experts to voice fears over food security and economic stability.
In his official statement, Trump asserted that the US would no longer support the South African government’s alleged violations of human rights over its Land Expropriation Act and its actions, which he said undermined the US foreign policy.
The executive order not only halts US aid to South Africa but also promotes the resettlement of Afrikaner refugees, raising alarms among those invested in the nation's agricultural future
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