South African white genocide does not exist, new ambassador to US tells BBC

South Africa's new ambassador to the United States, Roelf Meyer, firmly rejects President Donald Trump's assertion of a "white genocide" against Afrikaner South Africans. Meyer, a born Afrikaner, says his identity grants him the legitimacy to declare such a claim false. Meyer served as a chief mediator in ending apartheid in South Africa during the 1990s and was appointed to the US ambassadorship in April as diplomatic ties between the nations deteriorated.

He expressed concern that the facts regarding violence in South Africa had been distorted, questioning who was responsible for this "misdirection of information." Last year, Trump accused South Africa of carrying out genocide, prompting him to introduce a US refugee pathway for Afrikaners, which has resulted in nearly 13,000 refugees being admitted to the US, all but three of them South African.

One such refugee, Lielie, moved from South Africa to Texas under the Trump administration and now feels safer due to changes in her circumstances. Despite this, she still experiences fear, recalling instances where intruders attempted to enter her property. Lielie's story, like that of others, contrasts with the lack of widespread acceptance of the claims of genocide.