Nearly 70,000 South Africans, mainly Afrikaners have expressed interest in relocating to the United States following an offer made by President Donald Trump.
In February, Trump stated that Afrikaners could be admitted as refugees in the US because they are “victims of unjust racial discrimination.”
Recently, Neil Diamond, the president of the South African Chamber of Commerce in the US announced that 67,042 people have registered on Saccusa’s website. According to the BBC, most of those interested in taking up Trump’s offer have Afrikaner or English names.
Speaking to Xoli Mngambi on Newzroom Afrika on Tuesday. Diamond said most of the 70 000 applicants were between the ages of 25 and 45.
“The demographic profiles, we didn’t specifically collect information in terms of job category, so we don’t necessarily know whether they are all farmers from our rural communities or whether they are doctors or engineers, we don’t have that information,” he said.
Almost 70 000 registered on Saccusa’s website to relocate to US
“In terms of age profile, we do know that the majority of them are within the age group of about 25 and 45.”
Diamond said many of the 70 000 did not have a full understanding of what it means to be a refugee.
“I don’t think people have a full comprehension of what it means to be a refugee. We have shared information of the USCIS, that’s the agency that deals with refugees and asylum seekers. they’ve got a brochure that we made available both on our website and we shared it with people who are interested in that.”
Diamond told Mngambi that the chamber did not encourage or discourage anyone from leaving SA. Nearly 70 000 have registered, but no details were provided on where the South African refugees would be settled.
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