Business tycoon Johann Rupert has challenged the narrative of a so-called “Afrikaner genocide” during a high-profile meeting between South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and US President Donald Trump at the White House on Wednesday.
Watch: Johann Rupert clarifies ‘Afrikaner genocide’ claims
Rupert, one of South Africa’s wealthiest figures, told Trump that while violent crime in the country remains a serious issue, it is not exclusive to white farmers.
“We have too many deaths… It’s not only white farmers, it’s across the board, and we need technological help,” Rupert said.
He called for US support in the form of surveillance tools and communication infrastructure, saying:
“We need Starlink at every little police station. We need drones.”
In a surprising twist, Rupert also took aim at John Steenhuisen, South Africa’s agriculture minister and leader of the Democratic Alliance (DA).
“The crime is bad, but Mr Steenhuisen won’t admit to it, but he runs the Western Cape, where I live. And the biggest murder rate is in the Cape Flats. We’ve got gang warfare,” Rupert said.
The remark landed during a tense exchange in the Oval Office where Trump showed video clips of Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema chanting “Kill the Boer, Kill the Farmer” and discussing land reform.
Trump used the footage to justify his long-held position that South Africa’s white minority is under attack, especially in the wake of the Expropriation Bill signed into law in January.
Steenhuisen, who was part of the South African delegation, acknowledged that farm safety is a genuine concern but stressed that violence affects all races.
“We have a real safety problem in South Africa, and I don’t think anyone wants to candy-coat that,” he said.
“The majority of South Africa’s commercial and smallholder farmers really do want to stay and make it work.”
He noted that the video presented by Trump featured leaders from opposition minority parties.
“We joined forces with Ramaphosa precisely to keep those people out of power,” Steenhuisen added.
President Ramaphosa maintained composure throughout the session. He reiterated that the controversial chant cited by Trump does not reflect government policy.
“That is not a government position,” he said, referencing rulings by South African courts which declared that the chant does not amount to hate speech.
Ramaphosa leaned on his country’s legacy of reconciliation. He invoked Nelson Mandela and urged the US to remain active in global cooperation platforms like the G20, which South Africa is preparing to hand over to the US later this year.
Civil rights group Afriforum has not confirmed whether the footage used by Trump was sourced from their materials. Spokesperson Kallie Kriel said he could “neither confirm nor deny” it.
Meanwhile, the EFF issued a lengthy statement condemning the meeting. The party called Trump’s use of the chant “manipulative” and accused the South African delegation of “grovelling” to the Trump administration.
Trump’s demand for Malema’s arrest over the chant further escalated the diplomatic tension. The EFF warned it would resist any attempt to compromise South African laws or delay land reforms due to international pressure.