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New white SA group enters US as ‘refugees’; govt rejects claims

PRETORIA — 28 August 2020

A new group of predominantly white South Africans has entered the United States under a “refugee” scheme, sparking criticism from SA’s International Relations Minister.

US intelligence analyst Chris Wyatt confirmed the group’s arrival on Thursday under President Trump’s programme for alleged victims of racial discrimination. (Wyatt’s YouTube channel)

The arrivals were assigned temporary housing and provided food, resources and start-up loans. Wyatt advised them: “Don’t sit out there on your bum. Go get a job and start paying taxes”.

International Relations Minister Ronald Lamola condemned the programme on Wednesday, dismissing claims that white South Africans faced persecution. He stated: “With our history… preferential treatment of a particular privileged group, the Afrikaners, who are not running away from any genocide in this country, is definitely Apartheid 2.0.” (Government media conference)

Lamola stressed: “This is a clear emigration preference of a particular group in South Africa that happens to be Afrikaners.” The minister explicitly rejected the refugees label since SA “does not agree that this is a refugee programme. Because there is no genocide in South Africa”.

Wyatt countered that the group met UN refugee definitions for racial persecution. The relocation operates under a February 2020 US executive order prioritizing South Africans while suspending refugee intake from other countries. (White House order)

The US government had not responded to Lamola’s accusations at publication time. (no response available)