Country music notes and aromas of pancakes lodge the «Farmers market»a farmer market near Pretoria where thousands of Afrikaners, these descendants of the first European settlers in South Africa, stroll this Saturday morning. A painting far from the persecution of these whites mentioned in the United States, where President Donald Trump announced in February to offer the Afrikaner minority the status of refugee.
FROMA INFRIKAANS SAPS Display traditional dishes for sale: braided donuts «Koeksister»porridge «Milk Food» sprinkled with cinnamon, dried meat bands «Biltong». There are also books of books in this language from Dutch as well as khaki clothing shelves typical of Afrikaners farmers, better known as the name of « boers ».
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However, many of the passers-by or retailers met by the France-Presse (AFP) agency on this bucolic market claim to feel threatened in South Africa post-Apartheid. “The problems happen”sums up one of them, Céséré Smith, a 54 -year -old jewelry saleswoman. “As a white person and boer”she declares to feel targeted by crime, victim of “Reverse racism” And salutes Donald Trump’s intervention. “Everyone should be proud of their identity, but here you have to feel guilty and it’s not fair”she adds.
Descendants of the Dutch settlers who arrived at the forefront of Africa over three centuries ago, Afrikaners constitute the majority of the 7.3 % whites in South Africa. It is from this fringe of the population that political leaders who have set up apartheid, a racial segregation system having deprived blacks of most of their rights, came to the abolition in 1994.
“Ghost pain”
Persistent heritage of this regime: unemployment among whites was 6.7 % compared to 35.8 % for the black population, at the end of 2024. “Afrikaners are doing much better financially and culturally today than in 1994”Judge Max du Preez, famous journalist and author Afrikaner. Afrikaner culture is flourishing, according to him: it is “The only local language with four television channels” as well as a multitude of newspapers, magazines and cultural festivals.
The fear of whites persecution “Is a ghost pain”he describes. “It is a hypothetical future and not the reality of the presenthe sweeps. The last thing to do here will be a racial war. »»
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It is as corruption and governance scandals that have marked the post-Apartheid period that the “Disillusionment” Afrikaner has swelled, estimates sociologist Christi Van der Westhuizen, author of several books on Afrikaner identity. This made them vulnerable to stories “De Division” pushed by the fringe of the radical right from apartheid, according to her.
These groups have found an audience in the United States, where the native billionaire of Pretoria, Elon Musk, is a close adviser to Donald Trump. On its social network X, the tech magnate mentioned a “Genocide des whites” In South Africa about alleged massive meters of farmers, while official data show that most victims of crimes are young black men in urban areas.
“The victims here are the millions of blacks”
A recent bill on school teaching languages or government measures to erase the lasting effects of apartheid in the world of work and access to property are also criticized.
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Yet, “Significant segments of Afrikaners remain fiercely opposed” To these stories, according to Christi Van der Westhuizen. Among them, the Betereinders, literally “Those aspiring at a better end”. Gathered on Monday in a church in Johannesburg, five men, black and white, discuss the effects of the Trumpian speech around Biltong.
“This victimization story makes me sick. The victims here are the millions of blacks ”loose Trevor Ntlhola, 57, pastor and former anti-apartheid activist. “The dismantling of apartheid has rarely affected the whites. A large part of the racial packaging has simply been buried and now all resurfaces ”observes the trembling voice Pastor Alexander Ventter, 70 years old.
For the co -founder of the Betereinders movement, Schalk van Heerden (47), “Trump gave a microphone to radical whites worldwide”. In reverse of division impulses, the other founder of this group, Johan Erasmus, believes that the “Solution so that [ses] children are safe in South Africa ” is the“Integration”. The ideal of rainbow nation is not utopian according to him: “People have been betting against us for thirty years and we are still there. »»
