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The Trump administration imposed new visa restrictions on South African officials that the US accuses of “government-sponsored discrimination” against Afrikaners. The measures target individuals deemed complicit in race-based discrimination and uncompensated land seizures, and may extend to their immediate family members. Washington’s ambassador to South Africa described it as the first in a “series of escalatory measures.” The restrictions blunt Pretoria’s rugby-driven diplomacy this past weekend and the appointment of Roelf Meyer, an Afrikaner, as ambassador. The announcement extends more than a year of friction between Washington and Pretoria over unsubstantiated claims of a “white genocide” targeting Afrikaners. US President Donald Trump rescinded South Africa’s invitation to December’s G20 meeting in the US, and his administration has resettled Afrikaners as refugees. Additionally, Washington moved to end PEPFAR funding to South Africa due to political differences. Pretoria has repeatedly denied the discrimination claims, calling them misinformation.
document fetched 2026-09-17 02:49 · canonical https://semafor.com/article/09/16/2026/us-imposes-new-visa-restrictions-on-south-african-officials