Ramaphosa blasts white genocide lobbying, warns against language that glorifies killing
Ramaphosa tied his Heritage Day reflections to fresh tensions with Washington, after the US imposed visa restrictions
President Cyril Ramaphosa has criticized lobby groups promoting false stories of African persecution abroad, cautioning that inciting violence through language is reckless. In a Monday newsletter, Ramaphosa related his Heritage Day reflections to recent tensions with the United States, following the imposition of visa restrictions on South African officials in mid-September.
Ramaphosa emphasized that Heritage Day honors cultural heritage, equality, and non-racialism, stressing that these values must be defended daily. He expressed disappointment in Washington’s response, accusing the US of "running out of patience." He denounced violence against women, decrying abuse, rape, and killing as a stain on South Africa’s conscience, and warned against inflammatory statements about foreigners.
Ramaphosa criticized those spreading the "white genocide" narrative, arguing that during high unemployment and economic challenges, spreading falsehoods that deter investment is irresponsible and unpatriotic. The US visa restrictions followed President Donald Trump’s announcement that nearly all refugees admitted to the US would be White South Africans, a move that reshaped a longstanding refugee program.
US Ambassador Leo Brent Bozell III warned Pretoria that the restrictions were "just the beginning," signaling America’s firm stance on the matter.
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