Huanqiu Times, a Chinese Communist Party (CCP) state-run media outlet focused on international affairs, reported that South African President Cyril Ramaphosa publicly denounced the 59 white South Africans recently accepted by the Trump administration as refugees. Below are highlights from the report:
Despite the Trump administration’s ongoing crackdown on immigration and the suspension of refugee admissions, the U.S. accepted 59 white South African “refugees” on May 12. Trump had previously expressed his willingness to resettle white South Africans, claiming they were fleeing a “dire situation” in their home country.
However, during a public event on the same day, South Africa President Ramaphosa criticized the group, calling them “cowards.” He also revealed that he had recently spoken with Trump by phone, during which he conveyed that the U.S. assessment of the situation in South Africa was “inaccurate.” Ramaphosa rejected the notion that Afrikaners are being persecuted or expelled and asserted that the 59 individuals in question did not meet the criteria for refugee status. He stated that he intends to meet with Trump soon to further discuss the issue.
Citing the Sunday Times of South Africa, the report noted that since the end of apartheid in 1994, the white minority has continued to hold the majority of the country’s wealth, amassed during the colonial and apartheid eras. White South Africans still own approximately 75 percent of private land, while Black South Africans – who make up 81 percent of the population – own just 4 percent. In January, Ramaphosa signed the Expropriation Bill, a land reform measure that permits the government to seize private land without compensation under specific conditions serving the public interest. Although no land has yet been expropriated under the new law, it has sparked significant controversy, particularly among entrenched economic elites.
Source: Huanqiu Times, May 14, 2025
https://m.huanqiu.com/article/4Mg0YlXMR4I