Revealing Documentary: "Trump Was Right About South Africa"

I recently had the opportunity to watch Afriforum's new documentary titled "Is Trump Right About South Africa?" The film takes a deep dive into the statements former President Trump made about South Africa and examines whether there's actually substance behind his claims.

For those who don't recall, Trump created quite a stir in 2018 when he commented on the situation of white farmers in South Africa and the country's political developments. He was immediately accused of spreading "misinformation" and "lies" by both South African politicians and Western media outlets.

The documentary systematically examines the actual conditions in South Africa to determine whether Trump's concerns were justified. It focuses primarily on two main areas: race-based discrimination through legislation and threats to private property rights.

Race Legislation in South Africa

What struck me most powerfully was the interview with Martin van Staden from the Free Market Foundation, the researcher behind the Race Laws Index at the Institute of Race Relations. His research shows that South Africa has adopted a total of 314 race laws since 1910, but remarkably, 117 of these (37%) have been enacted after 1994 – that is, after the fall of apartheid.

Today, there are 142 race laws on the books in South Africa. This is more than at any previous point since 1996, which was the year when race laws in South Africa were at their lowest (52) following extensive abolitions during the 1990s.

Unlike the previous apartheid laws that discriminated against blacks, today's legislation is designed to discriminate against white South Africans. The most comprehensive is Black Economic Empowerment (BEE), which affects everything from employment and business ownership to public procurement.

Particularly striking was the example of the pharmacy chain Dischem, where an internal memo leaked in 2022 in which the CEO announced a total hiring freeze for white people due to threats of government fines.

The documentary also shows how race-based quotas have been introduced in agriculture, water distribution, school sports, and university admissions. Perhaps the most absurd example is that the South African government refuses to allow Elon Musk's Starlink to operate in the country because SpaceX doesn't meet the ANC's racial ownership requirements. This while neighboring Zimbabwe, with its catastrophic economy, already has Starlink access.

Expropriation Without Compensation

The second main issue addressed by the documentary is the country's new expropriation legislation. President Ramaphosa signed the new Expropriation Act in 2023, enabling "expropriation with nil compensation" – which is practically the same as "without compensation."

Particularly concerning is that Vice President Paul Machatile explicitly confirmed that the law is intended to be used to expropriate land without compensation, and that the difference between "without compensation" and "nil compensation" is merely semantic: "my sense is that nil compensation means you don't pay."

Thieu de Ager, head of the South African Agriculture Initiative, provides a down-to-earth perspective on how this affects South African farmers. He points out that the average farmer has mortgaged their farm at 55-60% of its value. Even an expropriation at 60% of market value would mean the farmer "walks out naked" – with no assets left after the banks take their share.

De Ager also tells how he was literally "photoshopped out" of official government photos after questioning the expropriation policy – reminiscent of Stalin's Soviet Union.

Incitement to Violence

The documentary concludes with perhaps the most disturbing segment: political leaders' open incitement to violence against white South Africans.

Member of Parliament Julius Malema is filmed leading 100,000 supporters in the song "Kill the Boer, Kill the Farmer" at the EFF's 10-year anniversary in 2023. When asked in court if he could promise never to call for the "slaughter of white people," he refused and said he "could not guarantee" he wouldn't do so in the future.

Meanwhile, President Ramaphosa completely denies that attacks on farmers occur: "There are no killings of farmers or white farmers in South Africa," he said during a US visit in 2018.

Was Trump Right?

When weighing all this information, one is confronted with the uncomfortable question: Was Trump actually right in his concerns about the situation in South Africa? The documentary gives a clear answer – yes, his fears were justified. This isn't about "disinformation" but about an uncomfortable reality that many in the West prefer to ignore.

It's striking how quick we in the West can be to condemn political statements that go against our preconceived notions, especially when they come from controversial figures like Trump, without actually examining the substance of the claims.

For those interested in watching the documentary themselves, it's available on Afriforum's YouTube channel. I strongly recommend taking the time to watch it – it provides important insights about the illusion of the "rainbow nation".

Jonas Nilsson