“Not Real”: South Africa Dismantles Trump’s White Genocide Accusations

WASHINGTON/PRETORIA, May 22 – South African Police Minister Senzo Mchunu has sharply criticized U.S. President Donald Trump for spreading what he described as “distorted and baseless” claims of a white genocide in South Africa during a tense Oval Office meeting with President Cyril Ramaphosa on May 21.

Trump, relying on outdated footage, social media posts, and a widely circulated 2020 protest video, insisted white South African farmers were being targeted in an orchestrated campaign of violence. He played clips of fiery speeches by opposition figures — including Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema — and claimed that white crosses seen on South African roadsides marked mass graves.

“These crosses were part of a protest. They are not graves,” Mchunu stated. “To present them otherwise is deeply disrespectful to both the facts and the victims of real crime in South Africa.”

Claims vs. Reality

Trump’s assertions included:

• A white genocide of Afrikaner farmers,

• Violent land seizures from white landowners,

• “Kill the Boer” chants as incitement to murder,

• Fabricated images allegedly showing white victims in body bags.

Each of these claims has been contradicted by both South African judicial rulings and police data:

• South African police recorded 44 farm-related murders in 2024. Only eight victims were registered farmers.

• TLU-SA, a conservative Afrikaner union, estimates 1,363 white farmers killed since 1990, far less than 1% of the country’s annual murder rate.

• A Western Cape High Court ruling declared “white genocide” claims “clearly imagined and not real.”

• Land expropriation legislation has not yet been used, and most land transfers have been voluntary.

• Photos used by Trump, including one of body bags, actually depicted a mass grave in Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo, not South Africa.

Malema Responds

In a pointed reaction, Julius Malema, quoted by Brut media in the image shared widely online, dismissed the Oval Office discussion as “a group of old men gossiping about me in Washington.” Malema emphasized that no credible intelligence had ever supported the notion of a white genocide in South Africa.

“We didn’t know we’d become part of theatrics aimed at justifying a non-existent white genocide,” said EFF spokesperson Sinawo Thambo.

Courts have consistently ruled that chants like “Kill the Boer”, used during apartheid resistance, are not hate speech when understood in their historical context.

A Pattern of Disinformation

Trump’s controversial remarks are part of a decade-old conspiracy theory amplified in far-right forums globally. Experts warn that invoking false genocide narratives can inflame racial tensions and undermine diplomatic efforts.

“The tragedy is that violent crime is a very real problem in South Africa, but it affects all communities,” said political analyst Thandi Mbele. “Cherry-picking tragedies to push false racial narratives is dangerous.”