Trump accuses South Africa of “extermination policies” as diplomatic rift deepens

South Africa has sharply rejected inflammatory accusations by former US President Donald Trump, who claimed the country is pursuing “policies on the extermination of people.” The comments were made during his meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, where Trump also reaffirmed that he would not attend the Johannesburg G20 Summit, accusing South Africa of “behaving extremely badly.”

Trump’s statement revived his long-running narrative of human-rights abuses in South Africa, particularly around the disputed “white genocide” claim — a narrative widely discredited by experts, human-rights bodies and South African authorities. The former president suggested that Pretoria’s stance on international conflicts, including the situation in Gaza, reinforced his belief that the country is contributing to mass harm.

The South African government responded swiftly, describing Trump’s remarks as baseless, misleading and irresponsible. The Department of International Relations and Cooperation said his allegations distort the country’s constitutional values of human dignity, equality and non-racialism. Officials added that South Africa remains committed to global human-rights standards and rejects any attempt to frame its policies as genocidal.

ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula hit back strongly, accusing Trump of weaponising race to punish South Africa for its land policies and its independent foreign-policy positions. Mbalula said Trump’s language fits into a pattern of “manufactured crises” designed to provoke panic.

International Relations Minister Ronald Lamola went further, calling Trump’s rhetoric a continuation of “white supremacist narratives” that have long attempted to delegitimise South Africa’s transformation efforts. Lamola said Trump’s boycotting of the G20 is not about human rights but about political theatre.