Trump confronts Ramaphosa over 'white genocide'

Trump claimed the video was evidence of genocide against white people in South Africa, alleging that it was driving thousands of white farmers to the United States.

The meeting, aimed at revitalising strained relations between the two countries and securing a mutually beneficial trade deal, quickly shifted focus as Trump turned the Oval Office into a platform to question South Africa’s internal politics.

With media present and Ramaphosa often unable to respond, Trump had aides project the video onto a large screen, saying it showed black South Africans advocating for genocide.

"They're white farmers, and they're fleeing South Africa. It's a very sad thing to see,” Trump said. “But I hope we can have an explanation of that, because I know you don't want that.”

Ramaphosa repeatedly tried to interject, at one point appealing for a calm discussion: "We were taught by Nelson Mandela that whenever there are problems, people need to sit around a table and talk about them. And this is precisely what we would also like to talk about.”

Although South Africa’s Constitutional Court has ruled that the chant does not constitute hate speech, Trump and South African-born tech billionaire Elon Musk have repeatedly shared videos of Malema performing it, claiming it promotes “white genocide”.

The Equality Court and the Supreme Court of Appeal have both found that, when understood in its historical and political context, the chant does not incite violence against white South Africans or Afrikaners.

Ramaphosa attempted to clarify South Africa’s stance, saying the views expressed in the video do not reflect government policy.

"Let me clarify, what you saw in those speeches does not reflect government policy. South Africa is a multi-party democracy that allows individuals and political parties to express themselves, even when their policies differ from those of the government,” he said.

"Our government’s position is completely opposed to what was said, even in Parliament. That party represents a small minority and is allowed to exist under our Constitution.”

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) has since issued a strongly-worded statement in response to the press briefing, accusing Ramaphosa of betrayal and defending their party’s right to political expression.

"In an act of cowardice, Cyril Ramaphosa blatantly denounced the rulings of the courts of the country he is President of,” the EFF said.

"This meeting confirmed the pact between the ANC and the DA to keep the EFF out of power. It exposed the consolidation of a 2024 alliance between white minority capital and the neoliberal, counter-revolutionary ANC.”

The party went further, defending its political agenda and vowing to resist what it views as foreign interference:

"Our Commander in Chief can be considered among the great revolutionaries. Trump, in his illiterate rant, has effectively called for Malema’s arrest for advocating land expropriation without compensation,” the statement continued.

"We will defend our constitutional democracy and never bow to imperialism. Those opposed to the dominance of the few over the many must never fear and must chant loudly against the system of oppression.”

The meeting, initially billed as a diplomatic milestone to reaffirm ties between the two nations, has now reignited global debate around South Africa’s land politics, political freedoms, and racial reconciliation.

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