Trump allies’ find no proof of claims during SA mission

MARK Burns, a close ally of US President Donald Trump, has returned from a visit to South Africa with a message contradicting claims of genocide against white farmers in the country.

- MASHUDU SADIKE

However experts believe that Trump always knew that there was no white genocide in the country and even if Burns advised the US President otherwise, it would not make a difference.

Burns, who is the founder and CEO of the NOW television network, met with white Afrikaner farmers and business owners during his trip and concluded that there was no evidence to support the claims of genocide.

According to Burns, the farmers he met were shocked to discover that such claims were being made.

“You were able to hear their perspectives.

“From their point of view, being white Afrikaners, there is absolutely no genocide or white genocide in South Africa,” Burns said. He added that the farmers were more concerned about crime and safety, rather than genocide.

Burns cited statistics provided by a white farmer, which showed that out of 5200 murders in the last reporting quarter, only 12 were related to farmers, and only three of those were white.