On Wednesday at the White House, President Donald Trump and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa engaged in a tense back-and-forth about Trump’s bogus assertions of “genocide” against white South African farmers.
Trump also displayed what he claimed to be news items about horrific attacks directed against white Afrikaner farmers.
“I don’t know, all of these are articles over the last few days, death of people, death, death, death, horrible death,” Trump said.
Trump claimed White South Africans were “fleeing because of the violence and the racist laws.”
“This is sort of the opposite of apartheid. What’s happening now is never reported. Nobody knows about it,” he added.
Ramaphosa pushed back, stating the speech snippets Trump showed “is not government policy.” Along with other delegates from South Africa, he said the speakers and their opinions belonged to extreme fringe political movements.
” Crime exists in our nation. Sadly, criminal conduct kills individuals; most of them are Black people, not just White people,” Ramaphosa remarked.
To alter his perspective, the leader of South Africa said Trump “listening to the voices of South Africans” would be needed The South African administration has angrily refuted claims of genocide.
“I would say if there was Afrikaner farmer genocide, I can bet you these three gentlemen would not be here, including my minister of agriculture,” Ramaphosa said. “He would not be with me. So, it’ll take him, President Trump, listening to their stories, to their perspective.”
Ramaphosa later Wednesday informed reporters “there is just no genocide in South Africa.”
“When the economy is not growing, when there is poverty, when there is unemployment, one of the social ills that we get as a derivative is criminality that spreads itself around the countries, not only on farms or rural areas, but also in urban areas,” Ramaphosa said, citing much of the violence in South Africa as resulting from its struggling economy.
“The issue of whether what he terms as genocide can be equated to the struggle,” he remarked. “And naturally it cannot since there isn’t any genocide in South Africa. And naturally, one’s perspective of things determines this as well.
“We need more US investment and a more positive attitude from the US,” Ramaphosa stated.
At times, Ramaphosa sought to bring the discussion with Trump back to trade and economic investment, which he said was the “real reason for being here.” Trump, however, kept bringing up the persecution of White South Africans.
Trump confessed, “I don’t know,” when pressed on what he wants Ramaphosa and his government to accomplish.
The South African president’s spokesman told ABC’s Wang that Ramaphosa “expected” to be confronted with a “show” from President Trump.
“You should not have found it shocking that President Ramaphosa remained so composed the entire time. He stayed classy, dignified; he never lost his calm,” Magwenya remarked.
Present for Ramaphosa’s visit to the White House was Elon Musk, a native of South Africa who serves as a major adviser to the president during his second term and has also highlighted unfounded assertions of “white genocide.”
Musk was observed seated behind a couch and not speaking throughout the conversation between Ramaphosa and Trump.
“Elon ha origins in South Africa. I want him not involved,” Trump remarked. “That’s all I need to do. Get him engaged in another project. Still, Elon happens to be from South Africa.”
Chuckling, Trump said, “this is what Elon wanted.”
Following their applications fast-tracked under an executive order signed by Trump in February titled, “Addressing Egregious Actions of the Republic of South Africa,” dozens of Afrikaner refugees landed in the United States last week.
The judgement argues that in a “shocking disregard of its’ citizen rights,” the South African government approved legislation allowing it to “seize ethnic minority Afrikaners’ agricultural property without compensation.” It says the U.S. “promote the resettlement of Afrikaner refugees” and that it will not offer aid or support to the country.
The legislation passed by South Africa referenced by the government seeks to correct land inequalities brought about under apartheid. It says that most of the time land can be expropriated in the public interest and must be paid for; the exact price will have been decided upon by the owners or approved by court. According to experts, the bill is in line with similar laws pertaining to eminent domain all around.
Previously, Ramaphosa said, the White South Africans being relocated in the United States “do not fit the definition of a refugee” — someone who is leaving their country out of fear of being persecuted based on race, religion, nationality or political affiliation.
Trump has been under close examination for giving Afrikaners top priority while seeking to restrict immigration from places, including Haiti, Venezuela, and Afghanistan.
Tuesday’s Senate panel urged Secretary of State Marco Rubio to justify the administration’s stance during testimony.
“I think those 49 people that came strongly felt they were persecuted, and they passed every sort of check mark that needed to be checked off,” Rubio said. “The president identified it as a problem and wanted to use it as an example.”
Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia highlighted the U.S. hadn’t let in Black South Africans during apartheid and said he thought the allegation there is persecution of Afrikaner farmers was “completely specious”.
“I think that the United States has a right to allow into this country and prioritize the allowance of who they want to allow it come in,” Rubio responded.
Catch Up on What’s Trending Now. Be the first to know the latest news, entertainment buzz, and trending topics. Visit Trending News Buzz for fresh updates and compelling content.
