Cape Town – The South African government has dismissed claims that over 70,000 Afrikaner farmers have applied to relocate to the US under an offer by former President Donald Trump.
Minister in the Presidency, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, said on Thursday that these claims are false, citing data from AgriSA, StatsSA, and the Department of Agriculture, which indicates that South Africa has only about 41,000 commercial farmers.
“Cabinet is also aware of the false claim that there are approximately 72,000 white farmers who have signed up to relocate to the USA in response to the invitation by the US President.
According to data, both from StatsSA, South Africa only has 41 122 farming units, and therefore commercial white farmers are not exceeding this number
So the claim that 72,000 whites farmers have signed up to relocate to the USA cannot be factual. @GCISMedia pic.twitter.com/z6BB39OwsP
— Khumbudzo Ntshavheni (@Khu_Ntshavheni) March 27, 2025
“According to data, from AgriSA, StatsSA, and the Department of Agriculture, South Africa only has just over 41,000 commercial farmers, and therefore there cannot be 72,000 commercial farmers leaving South Africa,” said Ntshavheni said during a media berifing.
The South African Chamber of Commerce in the USA (SACCUSA) previously claimed to have submitted a list of 70,000 farmers to the US embassy in Pretoria.
Trump’s executive order, which grants refugee status to Afrikaners and halts US aid to South Africa, has raised concerns among farming associations about the impact on agriculture and food security.
The move is linked to Trump’s criticism of South Africa’s Land Expropriation Act, which he claims violates human rights and undermines US foreign policy.
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
