by US President Donald Trump recently suggested that a “genocide” is underway against White farmers in South Africa. However, official data and expert analysis show these claims are false.
While violent crime is a serious issue in South Africa, there is no evidence supporting the allegation of a targeted genocide against White farmers.
What Happened
During a May 21, 2025, meeting at the White House with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, President Trump raised the notion of genocide against White farmers in South Africa.
He cited refugee cases and displayed printouts and symbolic images suggesting mass killings of White farmers. Trump claimed these farmers were fleeing persecution and genocide.
Key Details
- South Africa recorded 19,696 murders between April and December 2024.
- Only 36 murders (0.2%) involved victims linked to farms or agricultural holdings.
- Of these 36, only 7 victims were farmers; others were mostly farm employees, predominantly Black.
- South African government and independent experts confirm most attacks on farms are motivated by robbery, not race.
- The United Nations defines genocide as intentional acts to destroy, wholly or partly, a national, ethnic, racial, or religious group — criteria South Africa does not meet.
Reactions and Statements
Experts emphasize that:
- Farm attacks are largely due to geographic isolation and socio-economic factors.
- The “genocide” claim is a gross mischaracterization that ignores broader crime context.
- Even some White South African farmers have publicly rejected the genocide narrative.
- The US State Department, during Trump’s earlier administration, acknowledged farm killings as a small fraction of total murders linked to high crime rates, not racial targeting.
Investigation and What’s Next
- South Africa’s new land expropriation law, signed by Ramaphosa in 2025, allows for some land seizures but requires “just and equitable” compensation in most cases.
- No land has been seized under this law as of mid-May 2025.
- Trump’s claim that White farmers are killed after land seizure lacks any evidence.
- South African farmers’ associations confirm no confiscations without compensation have occurred.
- Authorities continue to address farm security concerns within broader rural safety initiatives.
FAQs
Q1: Is there a genocide happening against White farmers in South Africa?
No. Official data and expert analysis show that farm murders are a tiny fraction of overall crime, with no evidence of coordinated ethnic targeting.
Q2: What motivates attacks on farms in South Africa?
Most attacks are driven by robbery and opportunistic crime, not racial or political motives.
Q3: Has South Africa seized land from White farmers without compensation?
No. While new laws allow limited expropriations without compensation under specific conditions, no such seizures have occurred to date.
Q4: Why do some people believe in the genocide claim?
The claim has been promoted by some White nationalist groups and amplified by political figures but is contradicted by data and independent investigations.
Q5: What is South Africa doing about farm crimes?
The government continues to implement rural safety measures to protect all farmers regardless of race.
Summary / Final Takeaway
Claims of genocide against White farmers in South Africa, as suggested by former President Trump, are not supported by facts.
Violent crime affects the country broadly, and farm attacks represent a minuscule portion without evidence of racial targeting.
South Africa’s new land reform laws have yet to result in seizures, and the situation requires careful, evidence-based analysis rather than sensationalized accusations.
