Donald Trump and Elon Musk have accused South Africa of enabling ‘genocide’ of white farmers. A South African court dismissed allegations of “white genocide” in the country as "clearly imagined" and "not real", negating claims by former US president Donald Trump and his adviser Elon Musk.
The Western Cape High Court was ruling on the validity of a £1.7m bequest to Afrikaner nationalist group Boerelegioen. The donation by Grantland Michael Bray was invalid, judge Rosheni Allie said, as it was meant to further the group’s “messages of racial hatred and separation".
The request was vague and "contrary to public policy", the judge noted. The ruling was delivered on 15 February but only came to light recently. The case was brought by Bray's four siblings who claimed that their brother had become "obsessed with the idea of an impending genocide of white people in South Africa" in the last 10 years of his life.
Bray, who died in March 2022, also believed that the "genocide" would occur soon. "That idea was further fuelled by his already present racism and the online content that he was exposed to," the court said. Boerelegioen is an Afrikaner nationalist group advocating for the protection of white South Africans, especially farmers. It promotes the idea that white farmers are being systematically targeted and killed, a claim often associated with the "white genocide" narrative which has been debunked.
The group describes itself as a "civil defence movement that enables citizens to resist the promised slaughter of whites as well as the theft of their property". It is linked to calls for armed resistance and the creation of a separate Afrikaner state. It operates largely through social media, spreading claims of persecution and advocating for Afrikaner rights.
After taking over as US president last month, Mr Trump accused South Africa of indulging in “massive human rights violations” and of confiscating land from white farmers and issued an executive order to cut aid to the country. As long as South Africa “allows violent attacks on innocent disfavored minority farmers, the United States will stop aid and assistance to the country,” a White House summary of the order said.
The Trump administration said Afrikaners, descendants of predominantly 17th century Dutch settlers, could come to the US as refugees, lending credence to claims that they were being persecuted, claims disputed by the South African government and most political parties.
Mr Musk, who was born and raised in South Africa, echoed the allegations and claimed South Africa had “racist ownership laws”. He accused the country’s government of not doing enough to stop what he described as a “genocide” of white farmers.
In her ruling, judge Allie said Bray’s intention was to use his money to “benefit an organisation which he deemed to be one which will exterminate every black person in South Africa”. It “will be used to defend or ward off a white genocide, which is clearly imagined and not real," the judge said.
Boerelegioen's manifesto, videos and other material, the judge said, promoted South Africa’s apartheid-era government in a way that contradicted the constitution. Additionally, she ruled, the paramilitary and vigilante training of Boerelegioen members that Bray sought to finance was unlawful.
