Trump grants asylum, Afrikaners seek support at home

English , International - بین الاقوامی , Snippets , / Wednesday, May 21st, 2025

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rki.news
A group of 59 White South Africans, mainly Afrikaners, arrived in the U.S. last week after receiving fast-tracked refugee status from the White House. This comes as refugee applications from other nationalities remain on hold, raising international attention.
On Wednesday, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa is set to meet President Donald Trump in Washington to reset strained relations. Ties deteriorated after Trump froze U.S. aid to South Africa in February, citing alleged mistreatment of the White minority.
Ramaphosa, however, criticized the move, stating that these individuals “do not fit the bill” of refugees fleeing persecution. His visit aims to reshape bilateral, economic, and trade relations.
While many Afrikaners still seek entry into the U.S., others are calling for American help to combat rising violent crime in South Africa or support for their demand for regional autonomy.
Joost Strydom, who leads the Afrikaner-only Orania settlement in Northern Cape, rejected asylum offers and instead urged Trump to back their call for self-determination. “Help us here,” he said, emphasizing local empowerment over emigration.
Orania, home to around 3,000 Afrikaners, operates with partial self-rule generating half its electricity, collecting taxes, and issuing its own currency pegged to the rand. Residents now want full recognition as an independent Afrikaner state.
Strydom led an Orania delegation to the U.S. in March, where they held meetings with government officials. “The conversation is ongoing,” he said, without disclosing further details.
The town’s autonomy push is rooted in a 1994 post-apartheid accord that recognized the possibility of an Afrikaner Volkstaat a self-governed homeland. Strydom sees Orania as the foundation of that vision.