Wits Professor Says Afrikaners Using Donald Trump’s Refugee Offer Just to Go to the US, SA Divided

• Professor Loren Landau weighed in on Donald Trump's offer to Afrikaners to become refugees in America
• The Wits University professor claimed that white South Africans knew they were not being persecuted in the country
• South Africans shared mixed reactions to the news, with some accusing the professor of singing for his supper

Briefly News journalist Byron Pillay has dedicated a decade to reporting on the South African political landscape, crime, and social issues. He spent 10 years working for the Northern Natal Courier before transitioning to online journalism.

Wits University professor, Loren Landau, has sparked mixed reactions on social media with his comments after Donald Trump’s offer to Afrikaners living in South Africa.

The President of the United States of America offered refugee status to white Afrikaners in the country who felt threatened in South Africa.

Trump made the offer after claiming that terrible things were happening in the country and that a certain portion of the population was being treated poorly.

Wits professor says Afrikaners know there’s no discrimination

During an interview with Newzroom Afrika, Professor Landau, a researcher for the African Centre for Migration and Society at the university, touched on the relationship between the USA and South Africa. While noting that the two countries had a lot to discuss, he was also asking about the imminent resettlement of Afrikaners in the US. It’s been reported that the first group could make their way to the country as early as next week (12 April onwards).

Professor Landau described the situation as absurd, saying many Afrikaners were using the opportunity to get to the United States.

“They know they’re not being persecuted, but they accept that this is an opportunity to go to the US, to have their children educated there, and they’re grabbing that chance,” he said.

He added that there were some white South Africans who genuinely believed they were being persecuted, and that they were entitled to that belief, even if it was fictitious.

You can watch his full interview below.

What you need to know about Afrikaners moving to the USA

• Donald Trump signed an executive order in February 2025 to classify Afrikaner farmers as refugees.
• AfriForum stated that Afrikaners would not be leaving the country despite Trump’s offer.
• The SA Chamber of Commerce in the US (SACCUSA) server crashed due to the number of people applying for refugee status.
• In March 2025, the US Embassy provided an update on resettlement plans for Afrikaners.
• The SA Chamber of Commerce in the US announced that it received over 67,000 applications from Afrikaners for refugee status.

Professor’s comments spark mixed reactions

Professor Landau’s comments received mixed reactions online, as some agreed with him and others accused him of saying that to keep his job.

@Rusty_Merc said:

“Says the Apartheid beneficiary.”

@AfricnLionHeart

“I can only guess why he still has a job.”

@strydomobile claimed:

“He is tendering for research grants.”

@nardus6517 stated:

“Singing for his supper.”

@SipiwoLolo said:

“I said from the jump that this was a hustle for the Afrikaners. I wonder what their social status is. No farmer is leaving all that farmland and cheap labour to be on food stamps and government cheese in America.”

@StubbornNative1 added:

“Americans are going to get the shock of their lives when they see that their Temu order isn’t what they thought.”

@ZPatriotsa claimed:

“Nothing but the undiluted truth👏.”

@DeonFosterLEAD stated:

“Who cares. Let anybody go. Just manage with those who are left behind. Just stop playing with words. Two different perspectives. You don’t have to agree with them. Bless them and let them go in peace. Let people be. Let’s build where we can.”

What you need to know about Donald Trump

Donald Trump was the 45th president of the United States, serving from 2017 to 2021. In the 2020 election, he lost to Joe Biden, who won by 306 electoral votes to Trump’s 232.

Before his presidency, Trump was known for his work in real estate, attaching his name to hotels, casinos, golf courses, and other properties around the world.

USA preparing to welcome first Afrikaners

Briefly News reported that the Trump administration was preparing to welcome the first group of white South Africans.

The group, which will be classified as refugees, were processed within three months of Trump signing the order.

South Africans shared varied reactions to the news, with many expressing relief and amusement about the departure.

Source: Briefly News