Analyst says good riddance to the ‘Amerikaners’

Political Analyst, Bongani Mahlangu, says the country did not lose anything from the departure of the 49 Afrikaaners to go settle in the US as refugees.

He claims they were not contributing to the growth and stability of South Africa.

In February, U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order granting refugee status to Afrikaners, claiming that South Africa is targeting specific racial groups through the implementation of the Expropriation Act.

Mahlangu says Trump’s attempt to cast aspersions on South Africa has fallen flat, as the international community continues to express support for the country.

He adds, that it is interesting to note that while the U.S. leader has removed initiatives like Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) by claiming they could lead to reverse discrimination, he is doing something similar in the case of South Africa.

Political commentator Goodenough Mashigo has also weighed in on the matter.

Mashigo believes the government could consider reviewing the citizenship of the Afrikaners who left for Washington, though this will be a lengthy process following a recent ruling by the Constitutional Court..

Reacting to calls by some South Africans for their citizenship to be revoked, he says this matter should only be addressed once the individuals obtain their American green cards.

The Department of International Relations and Cooperation (Dirco) has reiterated that the minority group is not facing any form of persecution in South Africa.

International Relations and Cooperation, spokesperson, Chrispin Phiri, has refuted claims that #Afrikaners are being persecuted in SA. He says the 49 who left for the US did so on their own accord. Stay tuned to #eNCA channel #DStv403 #Afrikaners pic.twitter.com/s6z9AXlPRD

— eNCA (@eNCA) May 12, 2025

The arrival of Afrikaners in Washington comes days after U.S. District Judge Jamal Whitehead ordered the Trump administration to resume processing cases in the refugee resettlement program within seven days.

In January, Trump issued an executive order that suspended the US’s refugee program, which assisted individuals fleeing war and persecution in their home countries.