Mmusi Maimane reacts to Afrikaners leaving SA to US
SouthAfricanpoliticianMmusiMaimanehasspokenoutfollowingnewsthatagroupofWhiteAfrikanerfamilieshasofficiallyarrivedintheUnitedStatesasrefugees.
The59individuals,whoaredescendantsofDutchsettlers,weregrantedexpeditedresettlementunderaspecialexecutiveorderbyformerU.S.PresidentDonaldTrump,aimedatprioritizingWhiteSouthAfricanasylumseekers.
ThegrouptoucheddownatDullesInternationalAirportonMonday,greetedbyfederalofficials,araregestureinrefugeeresettlement.
ChildreninpajamasheldAmericanflagsandclutchedtoysastheywereusheredintoanewchapteroftheirlives.
Theirjourney,whichtookjustmonthsinsteadoftheusualyears,wasmadepossiblethroughagovernment-charteredflightandanexpeditedreviewprocessthatraisedeyebrowsacrossbothcontinents.
Reactingtothenews,BuildOneSouthAfrica (BOSA)leaderMmusiMaimane offeredapowerfulcounter-narrative.
“NotallSouthAfricansarerepresentedbythosewholeave,”Maimanesaidinastatementpostedonsocialmedia.
“Whilesomeseekasylumabroad,it’simportanttorememberthatmanyofusarestaying,working,andbuildingabetterSouthAfrica,together,acrossallraces.”
MaimaneacknowledgedthatthecountryfacesundeniablechallengesbutfirmlyrejectedthenotionthatSouthAfricaisincrisisonthescaleofneedingmassexodus.
“Yes,wefacechallenges.Butwe’renotanationatwar.We’reanationinprogress.Let’sfocusonunity,truth,andthehardworkofbuildingoneSouthAfrica,”hesaid.
HisremarkscomeamidawaveofglobalattentionaroundracialandpoliticaltensionsinSouthAfrica,withcriticscitingcrime,economicinstability,andlandreformasdrivingforcesbehindtheemigrationofWhiteSouthAfricans,particularlyAfrikaners.
