South Africa's ambassador to Washington denies white genocide claims, calling it 'something that just doesn't exist'

From the Newshound archive · first published 26 September 2026 · last updated 27 September 2026.

Roelf Meyer, South Africa's new ambassador to Washington, has flatly rejected Trump's assertion of a genocide against white Afrikaners, saying the notion "just doesn't exist." Meyer, himself a born Afrikaner who helped end apartheid in the 1990s, said the facts about violence in South Africa had been deliberately misrepresented. His intervention comes as the Trump administration has already admitted over 10,000 South African refugees and plans to accept up to 17,500 more. Thousands of white crosses were planted on Washington DC's National Mall by campaigners this week to commemorate victims of farm attacks.

Meyer, one of the chief architects of South Africa's transition from apartheid, said he thought 'Is he talking about us?' when he first heard Trump's genocide claim.

Among those admitted under the refugee pathway is a woman named Lielie, who moved her family to Texas saying she felt 'fear the whole time' on her South African farm.

Italian campaigner Lorenzo Caccialupi, who planted the crosses, insists he personally witnessed discrimination against white Afrikaner children during a visit seven months ago.