White South African group enlisted to expand Trump’s Afrikaner refugee drive
Understanding the US refugee admissions programme for Afrikaners in South Africa.
Image: Marco Longari / AFP
A group of white South Africans called Amerikaners has been asked by Donald Trump’s administration to help find people eligible for his resettlement programme.
According to the United States Embassy in SA, consistent with Trump's Executive Order on addressing egregious actions of the Republic of South Africa, the Department of State is coordinating with the Department of Homeland Security to consider eligibility for US refugee resettlement for people who are of Afrikaner ethnicity or a member of a racial minority in South Africa who are victims of unjust racial discrimination.
The embassy explained that access to the Refugee Admissions Program for South Africans or USRAP is free and includes applicants to complete a Statement of Interest form.
USRAP referral partners do not charge fees to applicants for their referral services.
Two partner organisations, RSC Africa, operated by Church World Service (CWS), and Amerikaners (advocacy group for the 'refugees,') will facilitate applications in South Africa.
The embassy underlined that neither has any connection to the South African government.
Applicants must also be of South African nationality, must be of Afrikaner ethnicity or be a member of a racial minority in South Africa, must be able to articulate an experience of persecution or fear of future persecution, and must be at least 18 years old or are being referred with a parent, as defined by the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101(b)(2)).
Amerikaners founder Sam Busa, declined to comment on the latest developments.
In May, IOL reported that the first group of more than 40 Afrikaners boarded a flight from the OR Tambo International Airport to the US, as part of the refugee programme. The flight was paid for by the US government.
The programme has been widely criticised by local government and various organisations.
Speaking to IOL, political analyst from the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) Siyabonga Ntombela, said the programme is based on a lie.
"We wouldn't have the Government of National Unity (GNU) comprising the Democratic Alliance (DA), Freedom Front Plus (VF Plus) and other black parties if there was a genocide of white people.
"Also, we wouldn't see an increase in white foreigners who are buying properties across the country if these allegations were true. This Amerikaner programme narrative is trying to catalyse the process of creating an independent Cape of Good hope state," said Ntombela.
However, Phil Craig the co-founder of the Cape Independence Advocacy Group dismissed this.
"If it happened, I would be delighted. But I don't see the direct effect of these things in the US impacting Cape Independence although, I do see it indirectly. America has support for minority groups in South Africa and recognise that they are under threat in the country. This is likely to assist Cape Independence indirectly," Craig said.
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