Racism Against White People in South Africa is still a question, but racism for real has long shaped South Africa’s painful history. While the global narrative typically centres on the country’s apartheid past and racial injustice against the Black majority, recent years have seen increased attention to claims of racism and violence against white people in South Africa, particularly white farmers.
Former U.S. President Donald Trump’s 2018 tweet thrust this issue into the international spotlight, prompting fierce debate, confusion, and misinformation.
This blog explores the complex reality of racism against white South Africans, offering an unbiased, research-driven analysis of what’s happening, why it matters, and what it reveals about race and power in post-apartheid South Africa.
A Brief History: From Apartheid to a New South Africa
To understand modern racial tensions in South Africa, we must start with apartheid, the institutionalised system of racial segregation and white minority rule enforced from 1948 until 1994. During this period, white South Africans, primarily of Afrikaner and British descent, controlled the country’s politics, economy, and land, while Black South Africans were systematically oppressed, disenfranchised, and forced into segregated homelands.
The end of apartheid in 1994 marked a monumental shift: Nelson Mandela’s election brought a Black-led democratic government to power, promising equality and reconciliation. But while legal apartheid ended, economic and social inequalities remained, and new racial narratives began to form.
White Minority in a Black-Majority Nation
Today, white South Africans make up about 7.7% of the population, according to the latest census data. Despite being a small minority, they continue to hold a significant share of the country’s private land and wealth, largely due to historical advantages.
This has made white South Africans a frequent target of resentment and political rhetoric, particularly in discussions around land redistribution, economic reform, and historical justice. Some critics argue this rhetoric has contributed to reverse racism, discrimination or hostility directed toward white people in response to past injustices.
Land Expropriation Without Compensation: A Flashpoint
One of the most controversial and emotionally charged issues in South Africa is the government’s plan for land expropriation without compensation. The policy aims to redress historic land dispossession by transferring land from white owners, who hold a disproportionate amount, to Black South Africans.
Critics, particularly from the white farming community, fear the policy could lead to state-sanctioned land grabs, economic collapse, and violence, reminiscent of what occurred in Zimbabwe under Robert Mugabe’s regime. Supporters argue it’s a necessary step toward economic justice and correcting apartheid-era theft.
The debate has sparked racial tension, with some white South Africans claiming they are being unfairly targeted or scapegoated for broader societal problems like poverty, unemployment, and crime.
Donald Trump’s Tweet: Amplifying Global Attention
In August 2018, then-President Donald Trump tweeted that he had asked Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to investigate “the large-scale killing of farmers” and land seizures in South Africa.
“I have asked Secretary of State @SecPompeo to closely study the South Africa land and farm seizures and expropriations and the large-scale killing of farmers. ‘South African Government is now seizing land from white farmers.’” – Donald J. Trump
Trump’s tweet triggered global controversy. While some conservatives and right-wing media outlets praised him for drawing attention to an overlooked issue, others, including the South African government and international human rights groups, accused him of spreading misinformation and stoking racial division.
The South African government firmly denied Trump’s claims, calling them “misinformed” and “false.”
Farm Attacks: Are White Farmers Being Targeted?
The issue of violence against white farmers, often referred to as farm attacks, is central to the racism debate in South Africa. According to the Transvaal Agricultural Union of South Africa (TAU SA) and AfriForum, farm attacks involve assaults, robberies, and murders, often brutal in nature, and predominantly affect white farmers.
However, the data is complex:
- South Africa has a high crime rate overall, with murder and assault affecting all racial groups.
- According to AgriSA, a national farming association, farm attacks are not exclusively racially motivated, and Black farm workers are also victims.
- The South African Police Service (SAPS) does not classify farm attacks by race or motivation, making it hard to draw definitive conclusions.
That said, many white farmers feel uniquely vulnerable, especially in isolated rural areas where police response is slow and security is inadequate. Some believe they are specifically targeted due to race, wealth, or political resentment.
Media and Political Narratives
The perception of racism against white South Africans is also shaped by how the media and politicians portray farm violence and land issues.
- Right-wing outlets like Breitbart, Fox News, and some YouTube influencers have amplified claims of white genocide, painting a picture of a racially motivated campaign against white South Africans.
- Mainstream and South African media often refute these claims, warning against misinformation and pointing out that Black South Africans remain the primary victims of violence and poverty.
- Political parties such as the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) have been criticized for their anti-white rhetoric, including chants like “Kill the Boer, kill the farmer,” which courts later ruled are part of historical protest songs rather than literal incitement.
The result is a polarised landscape in which facts, fear, and politics intersect, and perceptions of racism often depend on one’s political and ideological lens.
Is There Racism Against White People in South Africa?
This question requires a nuanced answer. Yes, instances of racial discrimination against white South Africans do exist, particularly in public rhetoric, employment equity policies, and sometimes in violence that may be racially charged.
However, equating this with systemic oppression similar to apartheid or historical white supremacy is misleading. White South Africans still enjoy relative privilege in terms of income, education, land ownership, and political influence in certain sectors.
Affirmative action and Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) policies, while aimed at redressing inequality, are sometimes seen as discriminatory toward whites, especially those from poor or working-class backgrounds. Critics argue that race-based policy should be replaced with class-based solutions to help all disadvantaged South Africans.
The Global Right’s Interest in South Africa
South Africa’s racial politics have become a talking point for far-right movements globally, who cite the country as a cautionary tale of what happens when white people become a minority.
Figures like Donald Trump, Tucker Carlson, and various European nationalist groups have used the South African example to stir fears about immigration, diversity, and land reform in their own countries.
However, this narrative often ignores the broader historical and economic context, oversimplifies the situation, and can fuel racial resentment and extremism.
What the Data Really Shows
To understand the full picture, we must rely on credible statistics and balanced analysis:
- White South Africans have not experienced genocide or large-scale state-sanctioned persecution.
- Crime in South Africa is a universal problem, and farm attacks, while tragic and often brutal, do not occur exclusively or disproportionately to white people.
- Land reform is real, controversial, and ongoing, but land grabs or seizures are not happening en masse.
- White South Africans face increasing social and political criticism, but also maintain access to economic resources and global support.
A Complex Reality Demanding Nuanced Conversation
Racism against white South Africans is not a myth, but it is also not the dominant racial issue in the country. It exists in certain forms, rhetoric, policies, and possibly some violent acts, but must be understood within the larger historical and socio-economic context of post-apartheid transformation.
The conversation around race in South Africa is deeply emotional, politically charged, and often manipulated for ideological purposes, both locally and globally. Whether from a place of justice or fear, the narratives we tell about South Africa shape how we think about race, power, and belonging in a changing world.
Also Read: 10 Careers That Will Not Survive the Future
For South Africa to move forward, it needs open dialogue, equitable policy, and an honest reckoning with both past injustices and present challenges, not sensationalism or scapegoating.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Are white South Africans being persecuted?
There is no evidence of state-sanctioned persecution or genocide against white South Africans. However, some individuals report experiencing discrimination or marginalisation in specific contexts, such as affirmative action policies or political rhetoric. It’s important to understand these claims within the broader history of apartheid and ongoing efforts to address systemic inequality.
2. What did Donald Trump say about white farmers in South Africa?
In 2018, Donald Trump tweeted that the U.S. State Department should investigate land seizures and the “large-scale killing of farmers” in South Africa. His statement amplified international concern but was widely criticised by South African officials and international observers for being misleading and lacking factual context.
3. Is farm violence in South Africa racially motivated?
Farm attacks are a serious issue in South Africa, but experts caution against generalising them as purely racially motivated. Victims include both white and Black farmers, and motives often involve robbery or land disputes rather than race. Nonetheless, many white farmers feel vulnerable, particularly in rural areas with poor policing and security.
4. What is land expropriation without compensation?
Land expropriation without compensation is a proposed policy in South Africa intended to address historical land injustices. It would allow the state to redistribute land without paying the current owners, primarily white landowners. While some view this as necessary for economic justice, others fear it could lead to instability and abuse.
5. Is there a white genocide happening in South Africa?
No, there is no evidence of a white genocide in South Africa. This term has been used by some political groups and media outlets, but major human rights organisations and researchers reject it as misinformation. While there are instances of violence against white individuals, these do not amount to genocide.
