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International Relations and Coordination Minister Ronald Lamola has labelled the US's refugee resettlement p
‘Apartheid 2.0’: Minister calls out Afrikaner refugee
programme
International Relations Minister Ronald Lamola has rubbished the US’s refugee
resettlement programme and bid to assist the country.
By Megan van den Heever
28-08-25 15:21
in Lifestyle
Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Ronald Lamola has referred to the US’s
refugee resettlement programme – initially targeted at white Afrikaner farmers – as “Apartheid
2.0”.
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The minister has also claimed that the government is “under no obligation” to assist US
officials with fast-tracking the visas of Kenyan volunteers who will help the latter with the
programme.
In February, Trump signed an executive order granting minorities resettlement on the grounds
of “racial discrimination”.
Since then, two groups of Afrikaner people have arrived in the US, with more expected to
follow.
MINISTER RONALD LAMOLA DISCREDITS AFRIKANER
REFUGEE PROGRAMME
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Speaking in a media conference on Wednesday, 27 August, International Relations Minister
Ronald Lamola admonished the actions of the US government – under President Donald
Trump – in accusing South Africa of promoting racial discrimination.
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The minister also rubbished Trump’s refugee resettlement programe, opened to white South
Africans, Afrikaners, and other racial minorities.
He said: “With our history… preferential treatment of a particular privileged group, the
Afrikaners, who are not running away from any genocide in this country, is definitely Apartheid
2.0”.
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Mario Nawfal
@MarioNawfal · Follow
SOUTH AFRICA: THE U.S. REFUGEE PROGRAM FOR AFRIKANERS IS
APARTHEID 2.0
South African Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ronald Lamola:
"For the South African government to assist the U.S. government with this refugee
program. it is a preferential treatment Show more
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Mario Nawfal @MarioNawfal
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Lamola – who was part of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s delegation to the White House in May
– added: “We have maintained that as the South African government, we don’t agree that this
is a refugee programme, because there is no genocide in South Africa.
“In line with the UN Convention, the Afrikaners that are going to the US do not fit the definition
of a refugee”.
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APPEAL TO FAST-TRACK KENYAN VOLUNTEERS
Minister Ronald Lamola also responded to whether SA authorities would facilitate the fast-
tracking of the visas of Kenyan nationals who had been roped in to assist the US Embassy in
processing applications to the refugee resettlement programme.
He said: “There is no obligation, no duty for the South African government to assist the US
government with this refugee programme.”
“It’s an individual application by those individuals, and Home Affairs has processed it in
accordance with its laws.”
According to the Daily Maverick, the US State Department hopes to send 30 Kenyan nationals
to South Africa to assist refugee status applicants.
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Under the guidance of President Donald Trump, US authorities appealed to South Africa to
expedite the volunteers’ visas, which the Department of Home Affairs received late last month.
The Kenyan workers form part of the Resettlement Support Centre (RSC) Africa, which
operates under the Church World Service, which is a partner of the US Refugee Admissions
Programme (USRAP).
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Kenyan workers are expected to travel to SA to fast-track the applications of the refugee
resettlement programme.
Images via Canva
The workers – who will reportedly live in South Africa for the next two years on a volunteer
visa – will assist the US Embassy in South Africa.
According to the US Embassy, RSC Africa, which manages all US-bound applicants from Africa,
will coordinate all communication regarding the refugee status programme application
process.
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DO YOU AGREE WITH MINISTER RONALD LAMOLA’S VIEWS ABOUT THE
REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT PROGRAMME?
Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1.
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