South Africa’s ‘White Genocide’ Narrative: Political Myth Or Reality?

When South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa met US President Donald Trump in Washington on Tuesday this week, hoping for a boost and a reset after months of acrimony, it was not all palatable a meeting.

President Ramaphosa was greeted with video clips, which Trump claimed proved the genocide against white farmers in South Africa.

The video clip showed people talking about “cutting the throat” and shooting white people.

This claim of a so-called “white genocide” in South Africa has echoed across international media and political spheres for over a decade now.

While the narrative has been repeatedly challenged by independent researchers and human rights groups, it continues to spark emotional and political responses, particularly from conservative and far-right circles globally.

Central to the debate are statistics on farm-related murders, the broader socio-political climate of post-apartheid South Africa, and controversial international commentary, notably from figures like Donald Trump.

History of the white genocide” narrative

Delving into history, the narrative begun in the late 1990s and early 2000s as South Africa grappled with land reform policies designed to redress the legacy of apartheid. Advocates of the theory allege that white South African farmers predominantly Afrikaans-speaking are being systematically targeted and murdered because of their race.

This claim gained traction in certain international media outlets and among far-right groups, particularly in the United States, Europe, and Australia.

The term “white genocide” is used to suggest that there is an orchestrated campaign to eliminate white people in South Africa—a notion consistently rejected by the South African government, human rights organizations, and independent crime analysts.

In March 2017, AfriForum, a South African civil rights group, reported that 74 farm murders had occurred in 2016. However, AfriForum’s data collection methods have been questioned, particularly their narrow focus on white victims and disregard for broader national crime trends.

Trump Intervention: A Presidential Tweet That Ignited Global Controversy

On August 22, 2018, U.S. President Donald Trump had posted a tweet that amplified the international discourse surrounding the issue.

“I have asked Secretary of State Pompeo to closely study the South Africa land and farm seizures and expropriations and the large scale killing of farmers.”

This tweet followed a segment on Fox News where host Tucker Carlson alleged that the South African government was “stealing land from people because they are the wrong skin color.” Trump’s tweet triggered a diplomatic rift and prompted immediate responses from South African officials.

The South African government issued a statement via X, formerly Twitter on August 23, 2018, rejecting the claim.

“South Africa totally rejects this narrow perception which only seeks to divide our nation and reminds us of our colonial past. South Africa will speed up the pace of land reform in a careful and inclusive manner that does not divide our nation.”

President Cyril Ramaphosa also addressed the matter in various public statements. In March 2025, during a parliamentary session, Ramaphosa condemned the spread of misinformation.

“We should challenge the completely false narrative that our country is a place in which people of a certain race or culture are being targeted for persecution.”

He added that South Africa’s land reform efforts are aimed at correcting historical injustices, not racial persecution.

Farm Murders in South Africa: What the Numbers Really Say

Understanding the context of farm attacks requires a look at broader crime statistics as South Africa is a nation plagued by high levels of violent crime affecting all racial groups.

According to the South African Police Service (SAPS), in the 2022/2023 reporting period, there were 206 farm attacks, resulting in 45 murders.

By 2024, the number of farm-related murders had dropped slightly to 44, according to police data.
Only eight of the 44 individuals killed in 2024 were classified as farmers, the rest being workers, family members, or security personnel.

In contrast, South Africa recorded over 27,000 murders in the same 2023/2024 period across the country. This includes urban and rural areas and people of all races, with the vast majority of victims being black South Africans.

Organizations like AgriSA, which represents commercial farmers across racial lines, have emphasized that farm murders do not exclusively or disproportionately affect white farmers. In fact, they’ve pointed out that attacks often target farms for economic reasons (such as robbery) rather than racial motives.

In a 2018 report, AgriSA’s head of land affairs, Annelize Crosby, stated:

“We have found no evidence of a coordinated campaign to target white farmers. This is a criminal issue, not a racial one.”

International Politics and Misinformation: The Ramaphosa-Trump Exchange

During this week’s closed-door diplomatic meeting, Trump once again raised the white genocide claim, presenting a “video montage” during a private discussion with Ramaphosa, purportedly showing scenes of white South African farmers being attacked. Investigations later revealed that some of the footage included images from unrelated crimes, and even incidents outside South Africa.

Ramaphosa, visibly frustrated by the distortion, told reporters after the meeting:

“We cannot allow propaganda to dictate how nations perceive one another. These videos are misleading and do not represent the truth of our country.”

This encounter underscored how the white genocide narrative continues to be used as a political tool—often divorced from reality.

Media Responsibility and the Echo Chamber Effect

Media outlets and social platforms have played a significant role in amplifying the “white genocide” narrative. Research by the Media Monitoring Africa NGO shows that stories about farm murders are often sensationalized and lack context, especially when picked up by international conservative media.

This echo chamber effect has caused real world consequences. For instance, in 2019, Australian Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton suggested offering fast-track refugee visas to white South African farmers, citing persecution. His remarks were condemned by South African officials as uninformed and racially biased.

Fact-Checking the Myth

While farm attacks in South Africa are a grave concern and must be addressed through stronger law enforcement and rural safety strategies, there is no credible evidence to support claims of a racially motivated “white genocide.”

Independent data, police statistics, and expert analysis consistently show that farm murders are part of South Africa’s broader violent crime epidemic.
Victims of farm crimes come from all racial backgrounds.
No coordinated campaign against white farmers exists.