Tens of thousands of white South Africans have expressed interest in relocating to the United States after Washington extended an offer to resettle members of the Afrikaner community. According to the South African Chamber of Commerce in the USA (Saccusa), nearly 70,000 individuals registered on its website to seek more information about the move.
The surge in interest comes in response to an executive order issued in February by then-US President Donald Trump. The order classified Afrikaners—descendants of Dutch settlers who arrived in South Africa in the 17th century—as “victims of unjust racial discrimination,” making them eligible for refugee status in the US.
Neil Diamond, president of Saccusa, revealed that the majority of those who registered their interest were between the ages of 25 and 45, with most having two or three dependents. Although Saccusa is not a government entity, the organization found itself at the center of the migration conversation after receiving an overwhelming number of inquiries regarding the resettlement process.
Recognizing the scale of interest, Saccusa has officially submitted the list of registrants to the US embassy in Pretoria. An embassy spokesperson confirmed receipt of the document, though no official plans for relocation have been announced.
The situation has unfolded against the backdrop of strained US-South Africa relations, particularly in light of South Africa’s recent land reform legislation. In January, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa signed into law a bill allowing land expropriation without compensation, provided the action served the “public interest.” The move reignited longstanding debates over land ownership and economic inequality, with activists calling for a redistribution of farmland from the white minority, who still control a significant portion of the country’s private land and wealth.
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The law sparked a strong reaction from Trump, who condemned it as discriminatory and used it as the basis for his executive order granting Afrikaners potential refugee status. By March, the Trump administration expanded the offer to include all white farmers in South Africa, declaring the country “a bad place to be right now.” The tensions escalated further when the US cut aid to South Africa, deepening the diplomatic rift.
Diplomatic Fallout and Future Uncertainty
The fallout between the two nations has been swift and severe. The US recently expelled South Africa’s ambassador to Washington, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio accusing him of being a “race-baiting politician.” Meanwhile, Ramaphosa has sought to downplay the controversy, maintaining that the land reform law is designed to ensure fair and equitable access to land while remaining aligned with constitutional principles.
Despite the diplomatic row, it remains uncertain whether the US will proceed with the large-scale resettlement of white South Africans. For now, the thousands of Afrikaners expressing interest in relocation are left waiting for clarity on their future.
