Ramaphosa Challenges Trump On ‘White Genocide Claims’, Says Majority of People Killed In South Africa Through Criminal Activity Are Black 

Cyril Ramaphosa (left) and Donald Trump (right) seated in the Oval Office of the White House on May 21, 2025

Source: Africa Publicity

South African President, Cyril Ramaphosa, has challenged US President, Donald Trump’s claims that white South Africans or Afrikaners are facing “genocide” in South Africa, saying majority of people who get killed through criminal activity in South Africa are rather black people.

Speaking during a meeting with President Trump at the Oval Office of The White House on Wednesday, May 21, 2025, President Ramaphosa says “There is criminality in our country,” adding that “People who do get killed, unfortunately through criminal activity, are not only White people, majority of them are Black people.”

Disputing President Trump’s claims of a “white genocide”, Ramaphosa says while referring to the white members of his delegation that: “If there was Afrikaner farmer genocide, I can bet you these three gentlemen would not be here, including my minister of agriculture, he would not be with me.”

The white members of Ramaphosa’s delegation included South African golfers Retief Goosen and Ernie Els and South Africa’s agriculture minister, John Henry Steenhuisen.

During the meeting, Trump had his aides play a short documentary featuring a medley of videos, including South African politician Julius Malema.

Trump and several members of his administration, including South Africa-born adviser Elon Musk, have claimed that the South African government is persecuting its White minority. South Africa has strenuously denied the claims.

Ramaphosa also challenged Trump on his claims that South Africa encourages the killing of White farmers, noting that the majority of murder victims are Black.