Rubio announces US visa curbs for some foreign nationals from South Africa

Washington - US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced new visa restrictions on Tuesday, targeting foreign nationals from South Africa who have been involved in policies enabling land seizures without compensation, racial discrimination, or incitement of violence against minority groups. The move comes as the Trump administration cools its relations with South Africa over a variety of issues, including the country's land reform policies and its case against Israel at the International Court of Justice over the Gaza conflict.

Rubio stated that the South African government has failed to adequately address the concerns raised previously. The embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Pretoria has denied allegations of discrimination or persecution against white South Africans, claiming that ideas of white racial superiority pose a threat to the country's unity, sovereignty, and diplomatic relations.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has called for global efforts to counter false narratives about white persecution. Previously, President Donald Trump had reduced aid to South Africa, granted refuge to white minority Afrikaners, expelled the country's ambassador, and made claims of white genocide in the nation. Trump's depiction of South Africa as dangerous and oppressive for white people echoes some of his domestic policies that target diversity initiatives aimed at addressing historical inequities for marginalized groups, portraying them as discriminatory against white people and men.

Despite South Africa's high murder rate, most victims are Black, and three decades since the end of apartheid, some fringe groups lament the loss of white power that democracy brought.