By Hannes Wessels,
The first contingent of Afrikaner refugees has arrived in Washington DC to a warm welcome from senior officials in the State Department and Homeland Security. This is attracting world attention and the anger of the ANC (African National Congress) led South African government whose spokesman argues the term ‘refugee’ is a contrived one reflecting the ‘white supremacist’ agenda of the Trump administration. They insist their fears for their safety are completely unfounded.
Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Ronald Lamola said allegations of victimisation had been quashed by police reports “which don’t back the assertion of persecution of white South Africans on the basis of their race.”
Austrian philosopher Karl Popper’s celebrated argument that human actions, even when well-intended, invariably have undesirable and unforeseen outcomes, particularly in the context of complicated socio/economic backgrounds, resonates at this instance. I’m not sure firebrand EFF (Economic Freedom Fighters) leader Julius Malema’s intentions were ‘well-intended’ or if he had read any of Popper’s theories, when he rallied crowds around the country to his call to ‘kill the Boer’ but if he has, he clearly chose to ignore his warnings, because his actions and policies seem to prove Popper right.
I’m old enough to remember the major political scandal that unfolded in South Africa in 1977 when it was revealed that Dr. Eschel Rhoodie, then Secretary in the Department of Information led by Connie Mulder, was the mastermind behind a plan to secretly siphon money out of other ministries in an attempt to change the media landscape at home and abroad by buying influence and funding new publications that would follow a more accommodating editorial line.
At the time, virtually the entire world press was galvanised in its unbridled hostility toward the Nationalist Party government then led by John Vorster and towards the Afrikaners in general. I think I’m on firm ground when I suggest the ‘Boers’ then were the most loathed ethnic group in the world and nobody was interested in their side of the story; the jury was in and they were all adjudged guilty, complicit in an ongoing ‘crime against humanity’.
This view and verdict applied to a large degree to the local print media too. The English-speaking press, much of it owned and controlled by the Anglo American corporation, was consistently critical of the regime and indeed it was their newspapers that triggered the furore and wrought the downfall of the Vorster administration.
Incidentally, it is worth recalling that this misappropriation of funds was never designed to enrich any of the protagonists in any monetary sense, it was aimed at finding a way of burnishing the country’s tarnished image in a vain bid to bring some balance to a very one-sided narrative. But that argument did not wash with the public or the regulators; Treasury rules on allocation and expenditure of public money had been breached, and Vorster and all the main players including Rhoodie and Mulder were forced to resign in disgrace.
As far as I remember this was the biggest ‘financial’ scandal to rock the Nationalist Party in the course of its rule from 1948 to 1994. The received wisdom in the country today is that the ‘Nats’ were incorrigibly corrupt and the ruling ANC cannot be blamed for simply following in their filthy footsteps; in other words Apartheid is to blame for the malfeasance of the incumbents; I’m not sure this premise will survive any sort of sensible scrutiny.
But the point that bursts forth from the current uproar over the plight of the Afrikaners is that, probably for the first time since the English parliamentarian Emily Hobhouse exposed Lord Kitchener’s ‘concentration camps’ at the turn of the last century during the ‘Boer War’ has the world media shown any empathy and understanding of the fact that they might not always be the villains. And as Popper suggested might happen, this is due to unintended consequences, in this case, of the actions of their antagonists of which there are many, but principally, Julius Malema. The huge irony is the South African political leader most committed to destroying (possibly murdering) this particular group, may have unwittingly saved them.
This is because Mr. Malema and his cohorts did not factor in a radical power transformation in the US and the arrival of the Trump administration staffed by people who have a different view of the world to that of their predecessors. The big ideological shift is they see racism as racism no matter the colour of the victims’ skin and they have concluded that any government, (along with the approval of the country’s highest court), that permits their politicians to exhort their followers to kill members of a community on the basis of their race is in egregious violation of their fundamental human rights and that that targeted group is deserving of protection.
This position has infuriated Malema, the EFF and indeed the ruling ANC, but their protestations are having a hollow ring about them as more and more people are finding it very difficult to disagree with the fundamental point the Trump people are making.
The ripple effect appears to have crossed the Atlantic, as it was with some surprise we read that even Sir Keir Starmer’s Labour government has acted against Malema by denying him a Visa to visit the country and address a political gathering at Cambridge University. (A mistake in my humble opinion, I think he should have been allowed to visit, express his views and let the British public decide.)
Coming from Starmer this is an almost Damascene conversion; this is the same man who has consistently demonstrated his disdain for the white working class, come to his knees to show his repugnance in the face of perceived ‘white supremacism’ in the US, presided over a system of ‘two-tier’ policing aimed at targeting white ‘extremists’ concerned about immigration, and appointed a Foreign Secretary who has committed the country to paying massive amounts of money in reparations for slavery.
Maybe Starmer and Malema should have a look at what Popper wrote as a matter of some urgency, before continuing their political careers.
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There are always three sides to every story.
The long history of atrocities committed under the Afrikaner regime during apartheid was deeply unjust. However, the retaliation we’re witnessing today, marked by brutal violence and loss of innocent life, is also unconscionable. One does not justify the other.
As someone from Rhodesia now Zimbabwe, I feel compelled to speak up. Too often, I’ve experienced prejudice and assumptions rooted in a lack of geographical or historical awareness, particularly in the U.S., where Africa is usually seen as a monolith. I’ve been painted with the same brush, dismissed, or met with antagonism until I’ve taken the time to explain to those who want to listen: Africa comprises 54 extremely diverse countries, and Zimbabwe lies just north of South Africa.
What’s incredibly sad is the blind eye turned toward the plight of Zimbabwean farmers — the illegal land seizures and the many who, 25 years later, still hold onto hope for some form of compensation. Their stories deserve just as much attention and empathy.
I agree and hanging on to the hope that President Trump might find a way spotlight the fact that this massive injustice has never been properly addressed and part of the reason is that SA has always been supportive of the Zim government.
The Jews did something the Boers can learn from. They took video and photographic evidence on Hamas atrocities and invited a few hundred world press to watch the video. The result was 12 reporters being hospitalised in Tel Aviv. Ditto UN.
Since then the leftist press have been far less aggressive in their attacks on Israel. Yes, their lagacy, Soros-infused media bosses still remain biased but not as rabidly as before.
I have seen photos of what has been done to boer women in particular and these need to be screened and sent to hostile news outlets.
SA Farmers need to win the airwaves to get a fairer hearing.
Hannes,
As Boer descendants with over 350 years of history in Southern Africa, we share a deep connection to this land. My family trekked from the Cape to Johannesburg and later to Rhodesia. Like many, we were forcibly removed 25 years ago during Zimbabwe’s violent land reforms, and the pitiful compensation offer for title deed holders and compensation for improvements (in our case development over 100 years) was neither full nor fair.
Your concern about South Africa is valid – history makes us wary. The Expropriation Act of 2024, signed by Ramaphosa, allows land seizures without compensation in specific cases, like unused or abandoned land. There is due process at this stage.
However, Malema fiery calls for land expropriation and his “Kill the Boer” chants have certainly amplified tensions, drawing global attention – some say he’s overplayed his hand. Critics like Trump and Musk (born in South Africa) are both very powerful entrepreneurs. The South African government insist this will not be Zimbabwe 2.0, emphasising constitutional checks.
Still, the rhetoric and policy ambiguity worry many, especially with the history. Malema’s focus on “whiteness” as a symbol of land ownership doesn’t help, but it’s also sparked international scrutiny of minority rights in South Africa. Whatever happens remains unclear. I personally left it ‘too late’ in Zimbabwe because I ‘trusted the constitutional checks’. We all know what happened in Zimbabwe.
From 2005-2009, Zimbabwe went through hyperinflation of millions, to billions, to trillions. The promised ‘economic turnaround’ still hasn’t happened and unemployment is a huge problem.
And to Geoff. Perhaps Malema’s visa was not submitted in time? That also may have been planned to draw attention to himself, which he is renowned for. But when he says he does not mourn the death of Queen Elizabeth II and accuses her of stealing goods and land from Africa as a coloniser, (YouTube) the message is for her son and the people of the United Kingdom, and indeed other countries from Canada and New Zealand.
And when Starmer (PM) meets with King Charles (Head of State), they don’t just talk about the weather and the cricket score. Just saying.
Hi Tug, I’m hoping like hell the Zimbabwe land tragedy is raised with Ramaphosa. The point is Mbeki and his successors in leading the ANC have all been supportive of the land seizures which signals their future intentions. In a few words President Trump can spotlight Zimbabwe and reopen this can of worms. The Brits handling of the Malema visa debacle is typically pathetic. Lack the guts to make a decision and stick with it.
I hope that you will not build too much on Trump’s second term. We’re still balanced on a knife’s edge, and the powers that hate America and legacy Americans are still very much in control of government; though they have decided to allow this brief pause in their agenda, its aims remain unaltered. South African whites can look forward to indifference from the US government, perhaps deepening to open hostility, within the near future. You must save yourselves. You will not find anything abroad save the sympathy of individuals such as myself, and what small support we can provide.
I could write a book on my English father and plaas meisie Afrikaner mother and am busy doing so in my family tree at the moment. My mother’s Spangenberg forefather was from Sangerhausen, Germany and come to the Cape in 1736 as a soldier with the VOC. He married Cornelia Mouton in 1740. Apparently he “killed a slave” and was exiled to Plaas Allewijn in the Oliphant River Valley in the Northern Cape.
Long story short the Spangenberg descendents lived in Clanwlliam for a while before going on the Great Trek and ended up in Winburg then Kroonstad in the OFS where my mother’s Hercules Petrus Spangenberg father was born in 1871. He and his father (David Frederick Spangenberg) and 4 brothers joined the Kroonstad Commando when the Boer War broke out in 1899. HP Spangenberg was captured at Mooiriver and his father David Frederick Spangenberg was captured in Kroonstad and sent to Bermuda POW camp and died on board ship at sea in 1901.
My mother never spoke about her father and we never asked.
He died circa 1946ish. My Pommie father was stationed for a while in Pietersburg Northern Transvaal with the Royal Air Force where he met my mom and they married in 1945 after the war. I doubt whether my mom’s Afrikaner father would’ve approved of her marrying a “rooinek” but I’ll never know!!!!???¿
very interesting Phil. Thanks
Great piece Hannes. I do fear for those who have taken this generous offer from the Trump administration in that they will be forever branded by bigots and the currently disenfranchised woke brigade in the United States should the political winds ever change from its current (and welcome in my view) course. I wish them well and really hope it works out for these families but having lived and worked in the US for 10 years it is a welcoming though tough environment to assimilate into without carrying the stigma mainstream media and other malcontents are pinning on them.
Hannes, writing under correction, my understanding is that the US DOJ, because Malema had threatened Trump with grievous harm, had placed him on their “wanted” list and would have requested the UK government to extradite Malema should he set foot in their country.
Excellent article….the world is changing and South Africa sadly is being left behind. Strangled by ideologies that take generations to change.
An excellent, extremely well written and argued article.
Always enjoy your contributions Hannes . You give a good general overview of current political/economic events…thank you .
With respect to this ridiculous scenario we are in now….I can’t help but resolve it all down to possibly one word… “Compete” .
If the black people would learn to ‘compete’ with the white people,,,and match us in every way…this whole problem would naturally dissolve away ! Are you listening, ‘Taxi’ bosses ?
Success, in an honest way from competition, dilutes notions of racism .But, how does one persuade a useless far left liberal ‘woke’ to compete with anything…
except a stupid/dumb competition !
Really good Geni website on the Boer POWs sent to Bermuda during the Boer War 1899-1902 including my gt grandfather David Frederick Spangenberg and his brother WJJ Spangenberg who are mentioned in the article
“Anglo Boere Oorlog/Boer War (1899-1902) POW Bermuda” https://www.geni.com/projects/Anglo-Boere-Oorlog-Boer-War-1899-1902-POW-Bermuda/14299
Well said.
THANK YOU! as a now retired? USA Airline Capt. and volunteer missionary to Zimbabwe for over 21 yrs I remember not being allowed to even step outside the Lufthansa Aircraft in Jburg in my continued flight from
Colorado to Harare. The persona responible was carefully chosen and physically huge to block the aircraft entry/exit door. The inappropriate harsh and severe response to passengers continued on the flight was of
a “whitey WE don’t want YOU here. Coupled with other incidents of uncomfortable exchanges and harsh criminal activity…luggage/transported medical equipment etal…I experienced a sad relationship in most experiences until I reached my final destination with Shona peoples…GOD’S BLESSINGS for your Strength and comittments..Dale Buss PhD continued support for Renewed Hope to feed the orphans
The truth be known, Malema’s visa application was not “denied” by Starmer and the UK. It was just not submitted timeously, so could not be issued in time for the proposed trip. The Govt even apologised for this.