8 days from G20 and still no white genocide

(The Post News) – There is no evidence of a white genocide in South Africa, despite repeated claims by U.S. President Donald Trump and far-right groups. These assertions have been widely debunked by fact-checkers, researchers, and South African civil society.

The myth gained renewed attention in May 2025. Trump confronted South African President Cyril Ramaphosa at the White House with a misleading video. This occurred during a diplomatic meeting.

Crime Affects All South Africans

South Africa faces high levels of violent crime. However, there is no targeted campaign of genocide against white citizens or farmers. According to the Institute for Security Studies (ISS), murder and armed robbery affect all racial groups. The notion of a racial extermination campaign is “ideologically driven and unsupported by data”.

PolitiFact and PBS News have also fact-checked Trump’s claims. They noted that white South Africans are not being killed at disproportionate rates. There is no evidence of state-sanctioned persecution. Farm attacks affect both white and black farmers. The South African government has consistently condemned such violence regardless of race.

A group of over 40 prominent white South Africans issued an open letter in November 2025. This group included economists, journalists, and religious leaders. They rejected Trump’s narrative. They stated: “We are not pawns in America’s culture wars. The claim of genocide is not only misleading, but dangerous.”

Crosses and Misrepresentation

During the Oval Office meeting with Ramaphosa, Trump played a video. It showed rows of white crosses along a roadside. He claimed they marked the graves of white farmers killed in a genocide. However, the footage did not show mass graves. It was actually a 2020 protest by agricultural groups. They were highlighting concerns about rural safety.

The video also included clips of political chants misinterpreted as calls for violence.

One such chant—“Kill the Boer”—was ruled by a South African court as not inciting violence. However it was rather a historical protest slogan. Trump’s presentation of this footage was described by observers as a manipulative ambush designed to push a false narrative.

Eight Days to G20

There is just over a week to go before the G20 Summit in Johannesburg. South African authorities are ramping up security and logistics. Road closures and motorcade rehearsals are scheduled across key areas. International delegations are beginning to arrive.

They aim to finalise positions on climate finance, global debt relief, and digital trade. Trump will not attend, but the summit is expected to attract leaders from the G20 bloc. South Africa aims to spotlight African priorities on the global stage.

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Nomsa Diallo

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