Diplomatic Inside

South African Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Ronald Lamola marked the halfway point of the country’s G20 Presidency on Monday, 12 May, highlighting key achievements since the term began on 1 December 2024. Speaking from the OR Tambo Building in Pretoria, Lamola said South Africa—the first African nation to lead the G20—has hosted 51 meetings and launched three Task Forces focused on disaster resilience, debt sustainability, energy transition financing, critical minerals, food security, and AI governance.

Lamola reported broad support for South Africa’s agenda, including from UN member states during a G20 Sherpa briefing in March in New York. He emphasised ongoing efforts to reform the global financial system and the multilateral trade framework, citing outcomes from the February 2025 G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting and the April Sherpa gathering.

A major focus is the G20\@20 review, initiated following the 2024 Rio Summit, with findings to be tabled at the Johannesburg G20 Summit in November 2025. Lamola also confirmed upcoming events, including a G20 Compact with Africa session in Addis Ababa in July and a Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in New York in September.

South Africa is also leading engagement with 13 official civil society groups and preparing to host a G20 Social Summit in June in Sun City. Lamola concluded by launching the anthem “Africa’s Call for Africa” Month and quoted Nelson Mandela, urging citizens to help shape a better world.

DIRCO Minister Lamola Dismisses Claims of Afrikaner Persecution as “Baseless”

South Africa’s Minister of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO), Ronald Lamola, has firmly rejected claims that white Afrikaners, particularly farmers, are being persecuted in South Africa, labelling such allegations as “baseless and without factual support.”

Speaking at a press conference on Monday, Lamola addressed growing international narratives portraying South African Afrikaners as refugees fleeing racial persecution. “In terms of the internationally accepted definition of a refugee, white South Africans do not qualify for that status,” Lamola stated. “There is no persecution of white Afrikaners in South Africa.”

Citing police statistics and official crime data, Lamola emphasized that crime in South Africa affects all communities, irrespective of race or gender. “The crime we are dealing with is indiscriminate and affects everyone equally. There is no evidence in police reports to support the notion of targeted racial violence against white South Africans.”

He acknowledged the serious nature of farm attacks but stressed that white farmers are not being systematically targeted. “White farmers, like all South Africans, are unfortunately affected by crime. However, the data does not reflect any pattern of persecution based on race.”
Lamola denounced what he called “deliberate disinformation” aimed at portraying South Africa as unsafe for white citizens. “Several international and African organisations have rejected these claims. Where challenges exist, we have democratic institutions to address them within our national framework,” he said.

He added that South African law enforcement is prepared to share official crime data with relevant stakeholders and encouraged fact-based dialogue. “South Africa remains committed to protecting the rights of all its citizens. We urge those spreading false narratives to stop misrepresenting the situation on the ground.”

Lamola concluded by affirming the government’s openness to engagement, while cautioning against the misuse of asylum frameworks for political purposes.

“Allegations of persecution are unfounded,” says DIRCO

DIRCO has raised concerns with the U.S. over reports of Afrikaner resettlement under refugee status.
“Farm-related crimes do not support claims of racial persecution,” DIRCO said in a statement, adding that the move appears “entirely politically motivated.”

Deputy Minister Alvin Botes engaged U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau, stressing that South Africa’s legal system protects all citizens and that “discrimination does not meet the threshold of persecution under international law.”