“Show Him the Way Home”: Afrikaner Farmer on H-2A Visa Pained and Emotional While Leaving SA

• A heartbreaking video shows an Afrikaner farmer recording himself at Port Elizabeth airport as he prepares to return to America for his fifth year on an H-2A agricultural worker visa
• The emotional man explained that leaving his family behind never gets easier, but he makes this difficult choice to support and fight for his loved ones back in South Africa
• South Africans from all backgrounds responded with compassion, while some were happy that he was leaving

Content creator @h2a_groot_ockert posted a tearful video from Port Elizabeth airport in mid-April as he prepared to return to America. The visibly upset man filmed himself speaking about his difficult situation.

In the emotional clip, the content creator explains that this is his fifth year working in the United States, but the pain of leaving never gets easier. He speaks about how hard it is to leave his family behind in South Africa, but says he does it to fight for them and to provide financial support.

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The farmer is travelling on an H-2A visa, which allows US employers to bring foreign workers to America to fill temporary agricultural jobs. These visas are typically issued when there aren't enough US workers available or willing to do the needed farm work.

Watch the TikTok clip below:

H-2A visa explained

The H-2A programme lets foreign workers take up seasonal farm jobs in America for a limited time. To qualify, US employers must prove they can't find local workers to fill the positions and that hiring foreign workers won't harm wages for American workers in similar jobs.

Workers on this visa can stay in the US for up to three years before they must leave the country for at least 60 days. After that break, they can apply to return for another three years. The visa only covers temporary or seasonal work, not permanent positions.

For many South African farmers, the programme offers a chance to earn money in dollars while keeping ties to their homeland. However, as this video shows, the emotional toll of living between two countries can be significant.

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Reactions to the farmer's story

@doc.ram83 sympathised:

"I don't know why I am teary, but what I can say is, this man is a South African and we must show him the way home."

@Mondli Ntuli encouraged:

"Not all Black/Whites are bad. Come back home, we have our differences, but home is home."

@rrago karabo welcomed:

"Come back home, brother, it's not like you don't have a home 💪 We still need you and still care about your well-being."

@Kefilwe Tshepiso joked:

"😂😂😂America is a better place. Stay there and be strong 💪. Live your 'American dream', Trump wants you there. @President Donald J Trump."

@XoliM_.99 🇿🇦 reflected:

"It's painful to see such emotions in any human, regardless of their race, appearance or beliefs... We are all human beings. 🇿🇦ns could've handled this division in a better way. 🙏Sorry for going through this."

Other US-related stories in the news

• Briefly News recently reported on another Afrikaner farmer living in America who showed off his comfortable apartment after relocating.
• In a lighter story, South Africans were amused by a Chinese man on TikTok who impersonated President Donald Trump with behaviour that many locals found surprisingly similar to their own.
• Briefly News also shared how a Cape Town man went viral after proudly showing off three "Rolex" watches he bought at Chinatown for just R79 each, highlighting how the US-China trade war is affecting price tags.

Source: Briefly News