The “white genocide” myth serves no one. It stokes fear among white South Africans, trivialises the pain of Black South Africans, and hands a loaded weapon to racists in America and Europe.
What was once a flood of unverified videos consumed on social media now appears to be making its way into the White House, gaining the legitimacy and official weight it often lacks. Last Wednesday, President Donald Trump brought this trend to a theatrical peak during South African President Cyril Ramaphosa’s visit. Intended as a diplomatic reset after a rocky period in bilateral relations, the meeting quickly took an unexpected turn. In a live meeting, Trump caught Ramaphosa off guard by claiming that white farmers in South Africa were being “persecuted” and “killed.” He even played a grainy video showing white crosses on a roadside – described solemnly and somewhat misleadingly, as the “graves” of murdered white farmers.
When questioned about the origins of the footage, Trump admitted he didn’t know exactly where in South Africa it had been filmed. Elon Musk, a South Africa-born tech mogul, added momentum to the narrative by tweeting a video of politician Julius Malema singing “Dubul’ ibhunu” (“Shoot the Boer”) – a liberation-era song that some interpret as incendiary. Both men, neither known for deep engagement with South African political history, helped amplify a narrative that many experts see as alarmist and misleading.
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