“There’s a Fishy Story”: US Man Claims SA Man Wasn’t Truthful About Refugee Wife’s Departure

• Chris Wyatt, an independent journalist, claimed that Afrikaner refugee Thea van Straten's husband was most likely dishonest about not knowing that she had left for the United States
• The YouTuber listed two claims that the South African man made and presented his own reasons for why what the man said was inaccurate
• People on the internet prayed for Thea's safety and hoped she would find much success abroad

A South African man, Jan van Straten, claimed that his wife, Thea van Straten, left for the United States as a refugee without his knowledge. However, retired army colonel Chris Wyatt, who interviewed Thea, one of the first few refugees, refuted such claims.

On 27 November, 2025, the author spoke about a woman who interviewed a man who purported to be Jan, who alleged that Thea lied about experiencing farm attacks, among other things. Chris stated that he wasn't going to disparage Jan but rather 'talk about facts,' as part of Jan's story seemed inconsistent to him.

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Below are the two claims Chris listed that Jan made, as well as Chris' reasons for why he finds the information inaccurate:

1. Jan claimed that he didn't know that Thea had left the country until after she arrived in the United States. According to Chris, Thea's partner allegedly followed her to OR Tambo International Airport and tried to enter the hotel. Security allegedly got involved.
2. Jan claimed that the guest farm they ran together, which he bought with his pension in 2022, was still operational. Chris claimed that he knew which farm it was, even before the refugee programme began. He also claimed that the domain for the farm no longer existed, and that the website for people to make their bookings didn't work. Furthermore, he claimed the Facebook page for the guest farm was last updated in April, 2025.

"If you're a guesthouse or a hotel, don't you want to keep your social media presence? There's a fishy story here."

Internet users respond to Chris Wyatt's claims

Several people online gathered under Chris' YouTube video to express their thoughts about the situation the van Stratens found themselves in.

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@slothpuppy believed the claims and said:

"I find it disgusting that people go to such lengths to harass and badmouth this lady, Thea. Shame on those people. All the best to you, Thea, and well done to you for escaping South Africa."

@AndriesMuller600 added under the clip:

"She is safe now, and I pray for her success."

@juffroucorri5867 asked the public:

"Can't they leave her alone?"

@steveindar1 wrote in the comment section:

"Good luck and fortune to all new Amerikaners irrespective of how they arrived."

Watch the YouTube video posted on Chris' channel below:

3 Other stories about Afrikaner refugees

• In another article, Briefly News reported that White South Africans and farmers had different views on President Donald Trump's offer to Afrikaners to be refugees.
• An Afrikaner man sat down with Chris to share what life was like in the United States after joining the refugee programme.
• A woman made a video speculating that Afrikaner refugees complained about speaking English. Many people didn't believe the woman's claims.

Source: Briefly News