Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Ronald Lamola has referred to the US’s refugee resettlement programme – initially targeted at white Afrikaner farmers – as “Apartheid 2.0”.
The minister has also claimed that the government is “under no obligation” to assist US officials with fast-tracking the visas of Kenyan volunteers who will help the latter with the programme.
In February, Trump signed an executive order granting minorities resettlement on the grounds of “racial discrimination”.
Since then, two groups of Afrikaner people have arrived in the US, with more expected to follow.
MINISTER RONALD LAMOLA DISCREDITS AFRIKANER REFUGEE PROGRAMME
Speaking in a media conference on Wednesday, 27 August, International Relations Minister Ronald Lamola admonished the actions of the US government – under President Donald Trump – in accusing South Africa of promoting racial discrimination.
The minister also rubbished Trump’s refugee resettlement programe, opened to white South Africans, Afrikaners, and other racial minorities.
He said: “With our history… preferential treatment of a particular privileged group, the Afrikaners, who are not running away from any genocide in this country, is definitely Apartheid 2.0”.
Lamola – who was part of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s delegation to the White House in May – added: “We have maintained that as the South African government, we don’t agree that this is a refugee programme, because there is no genocide in South Africa.
“In line with the UN Convention, the Afrikaners that are going to the US do not fit the definition of a refugee”.
APPEAL TO FAST-TRACK KENYAN VOLUNTEERS
Minister Ronald Lamola also responded to whether SA authorities would facilitate the fast-tracking of the visas of Kenyan nationals who had been roped in to assist the US Embassy in processing applications to the refugee resettlement programme.
He said: “There is no obligation, no duty for the South African government to assist the US government with this refugee programme.”
“It’s an individual application by those individuals, and Home Affairs has processed it in accordance with its laws.”
According to the Daily Maverick, the US State Department hopes to send 30 Kenyan nationals to South Africa to assist refugee status applicants.
Under the guidance of President Donald Trump, US authorities appealed to South Africa to expedite the volunteers’ visas, which the Department of Home Affairs received late last month.
The Kenyan workers form part of the Resettlement Support Centre (RSC) Africa, which operates under the Church World Service, which is a partner of the US Refugee Admissions Programme (USRAP).
Images via Canva
The workers – who will reportedly live in South Africa for the next two years on a volunteer visa – will assist the US Embassy in South Africa.
According to the US Embassy, RSC Africa, which manages all US-bound applicants from Africa, will coordinate all communication regarding the refugee status programme application process.
DO YOU AGREE WITH MINISTER RONALD LAMOLA’S VIEWS ABOUT THE REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT PROGRAMME?
Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1.
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