Mandela's great-grandson calls for criminal charges over false white genocide claims

MAYIBUYE Melisizwe Mandela, the great-grandson of Nelson Mandela, has called on the South African government to 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.

- MANYANE MANYANE

In February, US President Donald Trump offered refugee status to Afrikaners, claiming they faced persecution in South Africa. The first batch of 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 white genocide in South Africa, adding that there was crime and the majority of the victims were black.

Mandela said the claims of a genocide against Afrikaners were 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.

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