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'What is real is the devastatingly high crime rate across the country, with most of the victims being Black South Africans.'
Pastor Mark Burns with US President Donald Trump. Picture: X/@pastormarkburns
The founder of The NOW Television Network has debunked United States (US) President Donald Trump’s claims of a “white genocide” in South Africa after meeting with white farmers in the country.
Last week, with a line of reporters in the room, Trump ambushed President Cyril Ramaphosa by playing a video of EFF leader Julius Malema — theatrically, almost like a Bond villain — startling those present with footage he believed supported his claims of an alleged white genocide against farmers.
‘White genocide’
The US president showed videos of Malema chanting “Kill the Boer, Kill the Farmer” to support his false belief in genocide against whites in the country, asking why the red berets leader has not been arrested.
However, Trump’s claims have been dismissed by Pastor Mark Burns, who, according to his X profile, has been labelled by Time Magazine as “Trump’s Top Pastor”.
ALSO READ: ‘There is doubt in Trump’s head about genocide in SA,’ Ramaphosa says [VIDEO]
Trump’s ‘top pastor’
Burns’ post was shared by South Africa’s head of public diplomacy, Clayson Monyela.
“A Whitehouse insider and President Trump’s “Top Pastor” visited South Africa to get the actual truth. He engaged white farmers. Here’s an eyewitness account,” Monyela said.
‘No white genocide’
Burns shared details about his meeting with farmers in South Africa.
“I’m here in South Africa, meeting with white farmers, white business owners, and even some former apartheid leaders, and here’s what they’re telling me: President Donald J. Trump is a great president, but there is no “white genocide” happening here. They were genuinely surprised that this claim even made it to the international stage”.
“They do agree that the song sung by Julius Malema, “Kill the Boer,” is divisive and shouldn’t be part of the national conversation. It fuels unnecessary tension. But when it comes to actual targeted killings or a genocide of White South Africans, that’s just not the reality on the ground,” Burns said in a post on X.
Crime rate
However, Burns stressed South Africa’s “high crime rate.”
“What is real is the devastatingly high crime rate across the country, with most of the victims being black South Africans. Unemployment is crushing, and poverty is driving violent crime in all communities.
“Thanks to the Oval Office meeting between President Trump and President Ramaphosa, three powerful things have happened:
- The “White genocide” claim has ironically united the country. Black and white South Africans are standing together saying, this isn’t who we are.
- It has forced crime and safety to the top of the national agenda. South Africans are demanding solutions.
- It has led to a long-overdue conversation about revisiting BEE (Black Economic Empowerment) to make sure it benefits everyone, not just a select few.
White South Africans
Burns said comments were not coming from black South Africans.
“Here’s the most important part. These perspectives aren’t coming from black South Africans. They’re coming from White South Africans. They love their country, and many of them believe President Trump was misinformed by people who wanted an excuse to leave.
ALSO READ: WATCH: Donald Trump ambushes Cyril Ramaphosa in Oval Office
Truth
Burns said the “truth is more complicated, but South Africans, black and White, are working together to move forward.”
“President Trump sparked a conversation, and now South Africa is responding with the hopes that he will attend the G20 in South Africa to receive the baton from President Ramaphosa as the G20 will be in the United States next,” Burns said.
Trump to attend G20
Writing in his weekly newsletter on Monday, Ramaphosa said one of the key outcomes of the “substantive discussions” he and his delegation had with Trump was agreeing on an “economic cooperation channel between the US administration and South Africa to engage further on tariffs and a broad range of trade matters”.
“President Trump agreed that the US should continue playing a key role in the G20, including attending the G20 Leaders’ Summit in Johannesburg later this year, where South Africa will hand over the presidency of the G20 to the US.”
Ramaphosa said he and his delegation went to Washington to meet with Trump to establish a “basis for greater economic cooperation and to address some of the challenges” that have recently arisen in relations between the two countries.
Ramaphosa said in this context, it was critical for Pretoria to engage directly with the US administration to correct misinformation and provide a true account of the progress “we have made as a democracy and the many and complex challenges we still face”.
ALSO READ: US visit came amid ‘increasing strain’ between two countries, Ramaphosa says
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