South Africa International Relations And Cooperation Minister, Ronald Lamola, is expressing South Africa’ stance on the visa applications for the Kenyan nationals.
- He argues that the U.S. is attempting to use the situation as an immigration program to fast-track individuals into their country, and he does not agree with it being labeled a “refugee program.”
- He emphasizes that there is no genocide in South Africa, so the situation does not meet the criteria for a refugee crisis according to the UN convention.
- He views the program as offering preferential treatment to a specific group, which he considers Apatheid 2.0.
- Lamola states that the South African government has no obligation to assist the U.S. with this program and has communicated this position.
- He confirms that while Home Affairs will process the visa applications according to South African law, the country will not be a part of this program.
This is a complex diplomatic and legal dispute between the South African government and the U.S. government concerning a refugee resettlement program.
The U.S. Resettlement Program for Afrikaners
- The U.S. State Department is working on a program to resettle certain Afrikaners from South Africa in the United States, classifying them as “refugees.”
- This is a controversial move, as the South African government and many human rights organizations argue that this classification is inappropriate given the historic context of apartheid.
- The U.S. government is not directly processing these applications in South Africa. Instead, it has partnered with a U.S.-based organization called Church World Service, which operates a Resettlement Support Centre (RSC) in Nairobi, Kenya.
The Role of Kenyan Workers and the South African Government
- To facilitate the program, the U.S. State Department requested that South Africa grant visas to a group of approximately 30 staff members from Church World Service’s office in Nairobi. These workers are based in Kenya, and the U.S. wants to bring them to South Africa to process the Afrikaner applications.
- The South African government, specifically the Department of Home Affairs, received these visa applications on July 29, 2025.
- Reports indicate that the South African government is “not amused” by the U.S.’s plan, viewing it as an attempt to circumvent its sovereign authority and oppose the entire Afrikaner “refugee” program.
Based on the available information, here is a timeline of the diplomatic dispute between South Africa and the United States regarding the Afrikaner refugee resettlement program.
Timeline of the Diplomatic Dispute
January 20, 2025:
- U.S. President Donald Trump signs an executive order indefinitely suspending the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) for most people, but makes a single exception for white South Africans.
February 7, 2025:
- President Trump signs a second Executive Order, EO 14204, titled “Addressing Egregious Actions of the Republic of South Africa.” This order ends all foreign aid to South Africa, claiming its government engages in “race-based discrimination.”
- The order directs the U.S. government to “promote the resettlement of Afrikaner refugees escaping government-sponsored race-based discrimination.”
March 2025:
- The U.S. Department of State reports that it has received approximately 8,000 inquiries about the refugee program.
April 4, 2025:
- South Africa’s Foreign Minister, Ronald Lamola, makes a public statement that “South Africa does not constitute a threat” to the USA.
May 12, 2025:
- A press statement from the U.S. Department of State announces the arrival of the first group of Afrikaner refugees in the United States.
- The first chartered flight carrying around 50 Afrikaners arrives in the U.S.
- Ronald Lamola states that there is “no proof of persecution” in South Africa and that Afrikaners do not qualify for refugee status.
May 21, 2025:
- South African President Cyril Ramaphosa makes a state visit to the U.S. and meets with President Trump. During a press conference, Trump confronts Ramaphosa with claims of “white genocide,” which Ramaphosa strongly denies.
July 2025:
- The U.S. Department of State shifts all support functions for the program to its Resettlement Support Center Africa (RSC Africa), which is operated by Church World Service and based in Nairobi, Kenya.
July 29, 2025:
- The South African Department of Home Affairs receives visa applications for around 30 staff members from Church World Service’s Nairobi office, who are intended to come to South Africa to process the Afrikaner applications.
August 27, 2025:
- Foreign Minister Ronald Lamola makes a public statement calling the U.S. refugee program “apartheid 2.0” and a form of “preferential treatment” for a specific group.
- Lamola asserts that the South African government has “no obligation” to assist the U.S. government with the program.
- The South African government indicates that the visa applications will be processed “in compliance with all applicable laws,” suggesting they will not be fast-tracked.
Visa Denial or Delay?
- While there is no confirmed report of the visas being officially denied, the South African government is not fast-tracking the applications.
- The applications were submitted as “volunteer visas,” a category that would not allow the workers to receive paid remuneration, which seems to contradict the U.S.’s plan to pay them.
- Immigration experts have noted that the applications are unlikely to succeed under South African visa laws.
- The South African government has stated that the applications will be assessed “in compliance with all applicable laws, regulations and criteria,” signaling that they will not bend the rules for the U.S. government.
