A group of Afrikaans-speaking South Africans, along with a University of Pretoria historian, have condemned the United States for distorting their reality to fit a dangerous political narrative.
In a strongly worded open letter titled ‘Not in Our Name: Afrikaners Respond to the Misuse of Their Story in US Politics’, the group accused American conservatives of portraying Afrikaners as racially persecuted victims in post-apartheid South Africa, a claim they call deeply misleading and politically manipulative.
Their frustration stems from the growing use of Afrikaner identity to fuel the far-right ‘Great Replacement’ theory in US political circles, which falsely suggests that white populations are being systematically displaced.
Historian Dr Lindie Koorts told SABC News that some Afrikaners who accepted the US’s refugee resettlement offer under President Donald Trump have found themselves struggling instead of thriving. She said that while they hoped for a better life abroad, many are now facing harsh realities such as medical expenses, limited support, and the emotional toll of being far from home.
WATCH | A group of Afrikaners have penned an open letter rejecting the US government’s recent decision to give white South Africans priority for refugee status. UP historian Dr Lindie Koorts says America doesn’t care about Afrikaners but fears the US may not be majority white by… pic.twitter.com/IxGhB1TrnS
— SABC News (@SABCNews) October 28, 2025
‘There are media reports, especially in the Afrikaans press, of some of the first group of refugees who went to the US and actually feel quite disillusioned,’ Koorts explained. ‘It’s not as easy there as here in South Africa, especially if they run into medical difficulties and do not have health insurance in the US. That is an absolute nightmare, not that our system is perfect.’
She added that life abroad can be even tougher because refugee status prevents them from visiting family or returning home for special occasions. According to Koorts, this sense of isolation has caused regret among many who emigrated under the impression that the US would offer safety and opportunity.
Koorts also dismissed the notion that South Africans, including Afrikaners, qualify as refugees, emphasising that the country is not a war zone. She believes the narrative being pushed by some US politicians is designed to exploit fears of minority decline among Afrikaners by 2050 to serve extremist goals.
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Her comments follow remarks made last week by US ambassador-designate Brent Bozell III, who reiterated Trump’s invitation for Afrikaners to resettle in America and criticised South Africa’s position on property expropriation.
However, when questioned by a senator, Bozell failed to substantiate claims of a so-called ‘genocide’ against Afrikaners, a central talking point of right-wing propaganda abroad.
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