Trump baffles Ramaphosa with baseless claim of white genocide in South Africa

US President Donald Trump has confronted South African President Cyril Ramaphosa in the White House with the baseless claim of the systematic killing of white farmers in his country. 

He began the meeting in the Oval Office by describing Ramaphosa as a “truly respected man in many, many circles,” adding that “in some circles he’s considered a little controversial.”

The South African president, who had sought to use the occasion to enhance his country's ties with the US, playfully jabbed back at the controversial American president, saying, “We’re all like that.”

The US president made a show by playing a video of a politician chanting a song that includes the lyrics “kill the farmer.”

Trump then leafed through news articles to underscore his point, baselessly claiming that white farmers in South Africa have faced “death, death, death, horrible death.”

“People are fleeing South Africa for their own safety,” Trump said. “Their land is being confiscated and in many cases they’re being killed.”

Zingiswa Losi, the president of a group of South African trade unions who was in attendance, took on herself to answer.

“The problem in South Africa, it is not necessarily about race, but it’s about crime,” Losi said.

She told Trump it was important to understand that Black men and women in rural areas were also being targeted in heinous crimes.

Farmers and ranchers in South Africa and other parts of sub-Saharan Africa frequently face robbery and crime, a common phenomenon that affects African people regardless of their racial background.

Tech tycoon Elon Musk, who is a South African, attended the Wednesday meeting and appeared to be at the heart of the groundless claims raised by the US president.

The billionaire has said on social media that he has been unable to get a license for his Starlink satellite service to operate in South Africa due to his skin color.

South African authorities say Starlink hasn’t formally applied.

The South African government says its longstanding affirmative action laws are a cornerstone of its efforts to right the injustices of the white minority rule of apartheid, which denied opportunities to Blacks and other racial groups.

Since his return to office, Trump has targeted the South African government with a series of accusations, claiming it is seizing land from white farmers, enforcing anti-white policies, and pursuing an anti-American foreign policy.

He has cut all US assistance to South Africa and welcomed several dozen white South African farmers to the US as refugees as he has pressed the case that a “genocide” is underway in the country.

US to resettle white refugees from South Africa while expelling others

The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump is reportedly preparing to welcome its first group of white refugees from South Africa at the same time as it is arresting and deporting many refugees.

Experts find Trump’s remarks groundless, saying there is no evidence of whites being targeted for their race, although farmers of all races are victims of violent home invasions in a country with a high crime rate.

The bilateral relationship between the US and South Africa is at its lowest point since South Africa enforced its apartheid system of racial segregation, which ended in 1994.

Observers say the Trump administration is apparently angered by South Africa over charges at the International Court of Justice against the Israeli regime for its genocidal war on Gaza.

Washington has also put Ramaphosa under scrutiny for a joint venture with Iran’s second-largest telecom provider, Irancell.

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