Trump offers to resettle in US: Amidst US authorities launching a crackdown against illegal immigration in the country, President Donald Trump offered ‘oppressed’ white South Africans refugee status and resettlement, which was turned down on Saturday. A group representing the white minority of South Africa in its response said they would not be taking up Trump’s offer of resettlement in the US.
Trump signs executive order to halt aid to South Africa
On Friday, Trump signed a detailed executive order which halted all aid and financial assistance to South Africa. This was termed as Trump’s punitive action for alleged “rights violations” by the South African government against some of its white citizens.
The Trump administration has accused the South African government of allowing violent attacks on white Afrikaner farmers while also bringing a land expropriation law that empowers it to “seize ethnic minority Afrikaners’ agricultural property without compensation.
South Africa denies allegations
The South African government has refuted the allegations, denying that there are any concerted attacks on white farmers. It said Trump’s description of the new land law is full of “misinformation and distortions”.
According to the news agency AP, Afrikaners are descended from mainly Dutch but also French and German colonial settlers who first arrived in South Africa more than 300 years ago.
They speak Afrikaans, a language derived from Dutch that developed in South Africa and is distinct from other white South Africans who come from British or other backgrounds. Together, whites make up around 7 per cent of South Africa’s population of 62 million.
“Our members work here and want to stay here, and they are going to stay here,” said Dirk Hermann, chief executive of the Afrikaner trade union Solidarity, which says it represents around 2 million people.
The decision by Trump to sanction South Africa came after the US president, along with Elon Musk, accused the Black leadership in South Africa of having an anti-white stance.
(With inputs from AP)
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