Afrikaner Woman Accused of Using Refugee Program To Reunite With Husband in US

• One of the Afrikaner women who relocated to the United States after accepting President Donald Trump's refugee offer
• The woman, who is originally from Gqeberha in the Eastern Cape, reportedly signed up as a refugee to reunite with her husband, who is living in the US
• South Africans debated the woman's reasons, as some supported her and others criticised her

Tebogo Mokwena, a dedicated Briefly News current affairs journalist, contributed coverage of international and local social issues like health, corruption, education, unemployment, labour, service delivery protests and immigration in South Africa during his seven years at Daily Sun and Vutivi Business News.

UNITED STATES — One of the South Africans who left for the United States to be refugees allegedly used the refugee program to join her husband, who is in the United States.

Gqeberha woman unites with husband

According to IOL, Jacqueline Botha, who lived in the suburb of Rowallan Park in Gqeberha, Eastern Cape, is one of the Afrikaners who arrived in the United States from South Africa on 18 May 2025. However, questions surrounding the validity of the Afrikaners who are in the US have surfaced. They claimed to be victims of a white genocide and Afrikaner persecution, despite there being no evidence to substantiate their claims.

Botha reportedly left South Africa with her three children to join her husband, who has been living in the United States for the past two or three years. The suburb she lived in is also known to be safe, as it is quiet and has surveillance cameras. Her home also reportedly had surveillance cameras.

What you need to know about the Afrikaners

• One of the Afrikaners, Charl Kleinhaus, reportedly has a history of anti-Semitism after he tweeted in the past about Jews in a derogatory manner
• Another Afrikaner, who lived in KwaZulu-Natal, has also been accused of using the program to leave the country because of his ailing IT business
• Minister in the presidency, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, applauded the Afrikaners who chose to stay and not believe the white genocide narrative
• AfriForum CEO Kallie Kriel weighed in on their relocation and said that the Afrikaner culture cannot survive outside of South Africa
• He also slammed President Cyril Ramaphosa for calling the Afrikaner cowards for leaving the country

South Africans debate

Netizens commenting on Facebook debated the woman's reasons for leaving the country.

Those who supported her

Suzanne Barrow asked:

"If her husband is there, she should be with him. What's wrong with that? Too many women have to live alone because of broad-based black economic empowerment, and the only job they can get is overseas."

Pat Brits said:

"Nothing wrong with that. Her husband had to work overseas because he could not get a job in South Africa because of his colour."

Malibongwe Zintwana said:

"Reuniting with her husband is very important."

Those who opposed her

Rendani Rends Makhado said:

"The apple doesn't fall far, hey. She's such an African like the rest of Africa."

Laetitia Flanagan said:

"And so the dominoes start falling. It was just a matter of time. Let's watch the supporters start dwindling."

Tsholofelo Phatlhane said:

"They played the USA."

Cyril Ramaphosa arrives in Washington

In a related article, Briefly News reported that President Cyril Ramaphosa arrived in the United States of America for his working visit with Cyril Ramaphosa on 19 May. He departed from the country a day before with his delegation.

His delegation includes ministers Ronald Lamola, Parks Tau, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni and John Steenhuisen. Presidency spokesperson Vincent Magwenya said the president is expecting to reset the two nations' relationship and centre the trade talks.

Source: Briefly News