South Africa’s ambassador to the United States, Roelf Meyer, says claims of a white genocide in South Africa do not hold up. Image credit Wikus de Wet/AFP
South Africa’s ambassador to the United States says claims of a white genocide in the country are false. In a BBC interview, Roelf Meyer rejected the Roelf Meyer white genocide question outright and said such a thing does not exist.
Meyer, who is an Afrikaner himself, said he has never experienced anything of that kind. Furthermore, he said people have misrepresented the facts about violence in South Africa. He added that he has never received a clear answer about where this misdirection of information comes from.
Roelf Meyer on white genocide claims and crime
Police data shows that most victims of crime in South Africa are Black. This includes victims of farm attacks. In addition, farm killings make up a small share of the country’s murders, and robbery often drives them.
Nevertheless, the Trump administration continues to push the claim. In May 2025, President Donald Trump accused South Africa of white genocide during a White House meeting with President Cyril Ramaphosa.
Since then, Washington has opened a refugee pathway for white Afrikaners. According to reports, the programme admitted nearly 13 000 people in one year. Now, the US plans to admit another 17 500 over the next 12 months.
In response to the BBC, a White House spokesperson defended the programme. The spokesperson claimed that Afrikaners face rape, assault and murder, and said Trump has given them a lifeline.
However, some experts question the programme. For example, Larry Bartlett, a former director of the US refugee admissions programme, suggested that using refugee protections for people without real persecution claims could be unlawful.
Meyer brings a long history to the role. In the early 1990s, he served as the National Party government’s chief negotiator in the talks that ended apartheid. At the time, his counterpart on the ANC side was Ramaphosa. Later, Meyer left the National Party, co founded the United Democratic Movement and eventually joined the ANC.
Ramaphosa appointed him as ambassador in April. He replaced Ebrahim Rasool, whom Washington expelled in 2025.
Meanwhile, relations between the two countries remain strained. This week, DIRCO summoned US ambassador Leo Brent Bozell for a second demarche this year. In addition, South Africa remains shut out of the G20 summit in Miami in December.
For now, Meyer’s message on the Roelf Meyer white genocide debate is clear, as he tries to rebuild trust with Washington.
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