As locals endure high costs of living, a possible digital nomad takeover and the ever-existing threat of loadshedding’s return – not to mention government corruption and other political scandals – South Africans now face a new battle: Donald Trump and the unjust treatment of ‘certain classes of people’.
While we know that, like earthquakes and tsunamis, the effects of each country’s political landscapes ripple across the globe, some of us may find ourselves underestimating its magnitude.
While there are speculations that Trump’s financial attack on SA comes as a result of rubbing shoulders with Afrikaner lobby group AfriForum from as early as 2018, the ripple effect began earlier this month, with a sort of a distorted tattle tailing (some might argue) incident.
In response to the signing of the contentious Land Expropriation Act, AfriForum reached out to the Trump administration to ‘shed light’ on what the group believed was a wider onslaught against Afrikaners and urged him to take action against the ruling ANC leaders.
What resulted was Trump’s executive order to cut all financial assistance to South Africa as well as his offer to grant white Afrikaners, the descendants of predominantly Dutch 17th-century settlers, asylum in the US (though it has yet to be confirmed whether AfriForum’s statement had a direct effect).
Ironically (some might argue), various Afrikaner groups and the very same group who called for help from the Americans thanked Trump for his support but kindly rejected his offer to relocate, as per IOL. Financial assistance from the US, however, remains frozen.
So how do we, as South Africans, deal with what the MK party deemed a treasonous act by AfriForum and the subsequent outcome? As always, we take it with a pinch of humour and a poke of fun:
Take a look:
Doing just that, South African comedian, actor, MC, presenter and musician Sne Dlala took to social media alongside Robyn Simon, Tshiamo Ramphisa, Kayla-Lee, Sifiso Sikhahane and Natasha Rosa Hess to satirise the process of how the US would go about granting asylum to Afrikaners.
Their theory: Afrikaans refugee candidates would be judged by whether or not they had plastic straws – a reference to Trump’s bid to remove paper straws, which was a Biden administration environmental initiative – and their level of afrikaans-ness:
In response, the video’s comment section was filled with laughter, praises and the amused agreement that South Africans will never be serious – no matter what situation we find ourselves in:
‘One thing about South Ahhhhh. We would rather unite in Jokes than plot against other people for their suffering. Our dopamine cycles don’t need victims??’ – @word_sibanda
‘????? Why are we Africans so unserious?!’ – @chacha.cottan
‘??????? My Afrikaans is definitely getting me to the white house even’ – @intlemagnificent
‘Y’all turned this to a joke, vele vele????????’ – @sillytdp_sillytdp
‘? Mxm, this is the most South African response, yazi’ – @thantaswajndube
Also read:
Videos: Pro-Trump Afrikaners rally outside US Embassy in Tshwane
Picture: Screenshot from video
