‘Refugee’ Errol Langton: ‘I AM an Afrikaner, farmer’

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IT businessman and now “refugee” Errol Langton has doubled down on his claims that he is both an Afrikaner and a farmer. He’s also shed light on the circumstances that led him to leave South Africa last month.

Langton came under fire after his step-daughter branded him an “opportunist” in a TikTok video.

In February, President Donald Trump signed an Executive Order, fast-tracking refugee status to white South Africans – or “minorities” – over his claims of “racial discrimination” in SA.

ERROL LANGTON: ‘I’M AN AFRIKANER, I’M A FARMER’

Last month, Errol Langton made headlines as one of the 49 white South Africans who arrived in the US as “Afrikaner refugees”.

However, many South Africans – including his stepdaughter – questioned his claims of being a “farmer” and even an “Afrikaner”. Some also called him “opportunistic” for wanting to start again in another country, and in particular, a state – Alabama – where his own relatives immigrated to years ago.

While Errol told the New York Times that he was a “leafy greens” farmer from KwaZulu-Natal, his LinkedIn account lists his experience in the IT sector, where he owned a large business.

South African refugee Errol Langton.
Images via eNCA/ Facebook

Speaking to eNCA’s Annika Larson last week, Errol rubbished reports that the group of “refugees” consisted of white South African farmers.

He said: “That was never the mandate. It was minorities that were suffering persecution”.

Of his own identity, he said: “Yes, I’m an Afrikaner, yes, I’m a farmer. But by everybody else’s decision? Maybe not so much”

He claims that both being a victim of violent crime and struggling to find work led him to apply for the refugee resettlement programme.

“Being a white South African, BEE laws definitely compounded that issue”, he added.

PLANNING TO LEAVE SA

During his interview, Errol Langton also claimed that the refugee resettlement programme simply fast-tracked his plans, and he had wanted to leave South Africa in recent years.

He continued, “This was just a much simpler way of going through that process. We ticked all the boxes required for refugee status. I’ve been looking for opportunities for my kids for a while. It was just the right thing at the right time.”

Of the refugees being called “cowards” by President Cyril Ramaphosa, Errol added: “If it means that my family is taken care of, I will wear that badge with honour”.