by In a controversial move, the first group of White South Africans granted refugee status under a U.S. executive order has departed from Johannesburg. The chartered flight, carrying 49 Afrikaners—including families, young couples, and elderly individuals—left OR Tambo International Airport on Sunday and is expected to arrive in Washington, D.C., early Monday before continuing on to Texas.
According to South African Transport Ministry spokesperson Collen Msibi, the passengers are officially classified as refugees relocating to the United States. The chartered aircraft is scheduled to land at Washington Dulles International Airport around 6 a.m. Monday.
U.S. officials have planned a welcome event for the group at Dulles, though sources say timing may shift. The group’s arrival follows a February executive order by President Donald Trump, which prioritized resettling Afrikaners through the U.S. refugee program.
Trump has previously claimed that White South Africans face “government-sponsored race-based discrimination” and highlighted land reform laws that some critics, including Elon Musk, argue target White landowners unfairly. The South African government, however, has strongly denied any form of racially motivated land seizures or discrimination.
The swift approval process for these Afrikaner refugees marks a stark departure from the standard 18–24 month timeline. Some cases were reportedly processed in just weeks—raising questions about political motivations and fairness in the U.S. immigration system.
This initiative comes amid strained diplomatic relations between the U.S. and South Africa. Earlier this year, the U.S. expelled South Africa’s ambassador, further fueling tensions.
South Africa’s foreign ministry criticized the resettlement policy as “entirely politically motivated” and said it challenges the country’s constitutional democracy. However, it confirmed that it would not prevent citizens from leaving the country.
Despite the ongoing controversy, the U.S. State Department confirmed that its embassy in Pretoria continues to receive and process resettlement applications from Afrikaners. A statement emphasized that priority is being given to applicants facing “unjust racial discrimination.”
White South Africans, mostly descendants of European settlers, make up about 7.3% of the population. Historically, Afrikaner-led governments enforced apartheid—a system of racial segregation that denied Black South Africans political and economic rights until the country’s first democratic elections in 1994.
