A South African court has ruled that claims of a “white genocide” in the country are baseless and “not real,” contradicting past statements made by former US President Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk.
The ruling emerged as the court blocked a $2.1 million (£1.7 million) donation to the white supremacist group Boerelegioen.
The donor, Grantland Michael Gray, had left the funds in his will to support Boerelegioen’s activities, which the court described as spreading “racial hatred and separation.” Judge Rosheni Allie deemed the bequest invalid, vague, and contrary to public policy, siding with Mr. Gray’s four siblings, who had challenged the donation in court.
Trump previously claimed that South African white farmers were being targeted in large-scale killings, while Musk has spoken about what he called “racist ownership laws” in the country. Both have amplified narratives of white persecution in South Africa, despite a lack of supporting evidence. The South African government has repeatedly denied these claims, and crime statistics do not support the notion of a targeted genocide.
Court records reveal that Mr. Gray, a former military serviceman who became paralyzed at age 26, had developed a deep-seated belief in an impending genocide of white South Africans. His siblings testified that in the last decade of his life, he became obsessed with far-right online content that reinforced his paranoia. Before his death in March 2022, he had already donated approximately $326,000 (£258,000) in gold coins to Boerelegioen.
Boerelegioen, which describes itself as a “civil defense movement,” argues that it provides security and training services without racial discrimination. However, Judge Allie found that Mr. Gray’s intent for the funds was explicitly tied to his belief in white genocide and the extermination of black South Africans, making the donation legally indefensible.
Adding to the ruling’s significance, the judge highlighted inconsistencies in Mr. Gray’s will. Since there were three different entities bearing the Boerelegioen name, it was unclear which group was the intended recipient. This further invalidated the bequest. The court also ordered Boerelegioen to cover the legal costs of the case.
The case comes amid rising tensions between the US and South Africa. Earlier this month, Trump signed an executive order freezing financial aid to the country over new land reform policies allowing the state to seize land under specific conditions. White South African farmers have long been a rallying cause for American right-wing politicians, despite little statistical evidence of systematic targeting.
South Africa’s latest crime statistics show that 6,953 people were murdered between October and December 2024. Of these, only 12 deaths were linked to farm attacks one farmer, five farm dwellers, and four employees, likely black.
