Mayibuye Melisizwe Mandela, the great-grandson of Nelson Mandela, has called on the South African government take legal action against the more than 49 Afrikaners who have relocated to the US, saying they falsely claimed refugee status while fabricating a narrative of white genocide.

In February, US President Donald Trump offered refugee status to Afrikaners, claiming they faced persecution in South Africa. The first batch of more than 49 arrived in the US in May, later followed by a smaller batch.

During a meeting at the Oval Office in Washington in May, President Cyril Ramaphosa told Trump that there was no genocide in South Africa, adding that there was a crime and the majority of the victims were Black. 

Mayibuye Mandela said the claims of a genocide against Afrikaners was false and he called on the government, including the Department of Justice, Department of International Relations and Cooperation (Dirco), Home Affairs and the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) to pursue legal action against the group.

Mayibuye Mandela claimed that their actions constitute offences under South Africa’s Immigration Act, the Films and Publications Act, the Equality Act and the Protection of Constitutional Democracy Against Terrorist and Related Activities Act. 

“This is not just a matter of misinformation. It is a coordinated effort to destabilise our country and incite international hostility,” he said. 

Dirco spokesperson, Chrispin Phiri, said Mandela should open a case, saying the appropriate course for citizens who believe the laws of the country have been contravened is to report concerns to the competent law enforcement authorities. 

“These authorities possess the mandate to investigate such reports and ascertain their veracity,” he said. 

NPA’s spokesperson Mthunzi Mhaga, said it was not fair to comment while there is no docket opened with the SAPS.  

Home Affairs spokesperson, Siya Qoza, also declined to comment as it was not clear which Immigration Act clauses have been breached, while Justice Department spokesperson, Terrence Manase, did not comment.

Asked if he would open a case, Mayibuye Mandela said he had a discussion with his team and it has been concluded that a case should be opened. 

He said AfriForum and Solidarity must also be held accountable for their roles in ‘orchestrating and promoting this false narrative’.

He accused the two organisations of inciting racial division, defaming South Africa’s constitutional democracy and ‘betraying the principles that generations of South Africans have fought to uphold’. 

AfriForm said questions should be referred to chief officer, Kallie Kriel, who did not respond. 

Solidarity’s head of public Liaison, Jaco Kleynhans, said the organisation views these allegations as ‘completely unfounded and just another attempt to shift the focus away from South Africa’s huge problems’. 

Kleynhans said Solidarity had never claimed that a genocide is taking place in South Africa but has long been providing evidence of serious cultural and economic oppression of minorities in the country.

He said this amounts to a ‘general cultural persecution that is beginning to take on dangerous levels and could lead to life-threatening threats in the future’.

“The US government has every right to grant refugee status to citizens of another country that it considers to be experiencing serious oppression or persecution.”

“Instead of attacking these people or the organisations they represent, we need to have a serious conversation in South Africa about the extent of absolute racial discrimination against minorities, the levels of violent crime that are occurring in our country, and what is needed to address these and other problems. 

He said Solidarity is in constant contact with the Trump administration.

“We will not allow what is happening in South Africa to be swept under the rug or for defamatory allegations to be made about our position on important issues,” he said. 

Both AfriForum and Solidarity face a government investigation of treason, after allegations that they supplied false and damaging information to the US government regarding the treatment of white farmers.

Minister in Presidency, Khumbudzo Ntshavehini, confirmed the investigation during a parliamentary session last month, warning that treasonous acts cannot be left unpunished. 

This follows calls from several political parties, including the EFF and MK Party, for the government to act against the two organisations following their visit to the US, where they engaged with Trump’s administration. 

During the discussions, AfriForum and Solidarity advocated for increased international pressure on the ANC to safeguard cultural space for Afrikaners and enforce stricter measures against hate speech, which they argue contributes to violence, including farm attacks.

It is believed these claims may have influenced the US government’s decision to cancel aid funding to South Africa and grant refugee status to the more than 49 Afrikaners.

manyane.manyane@inl.co.za

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