South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has strongly condemned recent claims from the United States accusing his government of targeting white South Africans, labeling the allegations as "blatant misinformation."

Tensions escalated after US President Donald Trump, who returned to the White House earlier this year, echoed discredited allegations of a so-called "white genocide" against the Afrikaner minority, a community descended from European settlers.

The Trump administration also chose to boycott the recent G20 summit held in Johannesburg, and declared South Africa would not be invited to the next summit, which is set to take place at one of Trump’s family-owned golf resorts in Miami.

President Ramaphosa decries disinformation campaign

In a national address broadcast on SABC, Ramaphosa directly challenged Washington's justifications for its absence at the summit, citing them as rooted in "baseless and false allegations," specifically, accusations of violence against Afrikaners and the forced seizure of land from white citizens.

"This is blatant misinformation about our country," Ramaphosa stated. He further criticized the influence of domestic and international groups that, in his view, are actively promoting false narratives.

"As a country, we are aware that the stance taken by the US administration has been influenced by a sustained campaign of disinformation by groups and individuals within our country, in the US, and elsewhere," he said.

According to Ramaphosa, these campaigns are not only damaging South Africa's international reputation but are also jeopardizing national interests, economic stability, and diplomatic ties with a key global partner.

Despite the growing strain, Ramaphosa emphasized Pretoria’s openness to continued diplomatic engagement. "We remain willing to continue to engage in dialogue with the United States government, and to do so with respect and with dignity as equal sovereign countries," he affirmed.

During a meeting with South African President Cyril #Ramaphosa, Donald #Trump repeated several false and misleading claims about the treatment of white farmers. These include allegations of genocide, violent land seizures, and misrepresented imagery. pic.twitter.com/2JWmYbojvz

— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) May 23, 2025