CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) — An extraordinary new U.S. refugee policy welcoming white Afrikaner farmers who the Trump administration claims are persecuted is topping the agenda at a White House meeting between President Donald Trump and South Africa’s president on Wednesday.
The Associated Press visited a lively agricultural fair in South Africa’s heartland days ahead of the U.S. meeting, where white and Black farmers and conservative white Afrikaner groups reacted to the Trump administration’s “genocide” and land seizure claims.
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A view of crosses planted at the White Cross Monument, each one marking a white farmer who has been killed in a farm murder, is seen on a hillside in Ysterberg near Polokwane, South Africa, May 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)
A view of crosses planted at the White Cross Monument, each one marking a white farmer who has been killed in a farm murder, is seen on a hillside in Ysterberg near Polokwane, South Africa, May 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)
A view of crosses planted at the White Cross Monument, each one marking a white farmer who has been killed in a farm murder, is seen on a hillside in Ysterberg near Polokwane, South Africa, May 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)
A view of crosses planted at the White Cross Monument, each one marking a white farmer who has been killed in a farm murder, is seen on a hillside in Ysterberg near Polokwane, South Africa, May 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)
A rose is set on Visitors at the Nampo agricultural fair, one of the largest in the southern hemisphere, walk past the wall of remembrance, a tribute to farmers killed since 1961, at the Nampo agricultural fair, one of the largest in the southern hemisphere, near Bothaville, South Africa, May 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay)
Tourists visit the Nampo agricultural fair, one of the largest in the southern hemisphere, near Bothaville, South Africa, May 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay)
Farmers visit the Nampo agricultural fair, one of the largest in the southern hemisphere, near Bothaville, South Africa, May 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay)
Farmers visit the Nampo agricultural fair, one of the largest in the southern hemisphere, near Bothaville, South Africa, May 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay)
Farmers visit the Nampo agricultural fair, one of the largest in the southern hemisphere, near Bothaville, South Africa, May 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay)
Visitors at the Nampo agricultural fair, one of the largest in the southern hemisphere, photograph the wall of remembrance, a tribute to farmers killed since 1961, near Bothaville, South Africa, May 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay)
Farmers visit the Nampo agricultural fair, one of the largest in the southern hemisphere, near Bothaville, South Africa, May 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay)
Farmers visit the Nampo agricultural fair, one of the largest in the southern hemisphere, near Bothaville, South Africa, May 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay)
Farmers participate in a truck loading competition at the Nampo agricultural fair, one of the largest in the southern hemisphere, near Bothaville, South Africa, May 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay)
Farmers visit the Nampo agricultural fair, one of the largest in the southern hemisphere, near Bothaville, South Africa, May 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay)
Farmers sit for lunch at the Nampo agricultural fair, one of the largest in the southern hemisphere, near Bothaville, South Africa, May 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay)
A hand gun from a retailer is on display at the Nampo agricultural fair, one of the largest in the southern hemisphere, near Bothaville, South Africa, May 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay)
Visitors at the Nampo agricultural fair, one of the largest in the southern hemisphere, sit in there shade near Bothaville, South Africa, May 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay)
Farmers visit the Nampo agricultural fair, one of the largest in the southern hemisphere, near Bothaville, South Africa, May 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay)
Visitors at the Nampo agricultural fair, one of the largest in the southern hemisphere, check names on the wall of remembrance, a tribute to farmers killed since 1961, near Bothaville, South Africa, May 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay)
Visitors at the Nampo agricultural fair, one of the largest in the southern hemisphere, ride past the wall of remembrance, a tribute to farmers killed since 1961, near Bothaville, South Africa, May 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay)
Visitors at the Nampo agricultural fair, one of the largest in the southern hemisphere, walk past the wall of remembrance, a tribute to farmers killed since 1961, near Bothaville, South Africa, May 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay)
Farmers visit the Nampo agricultural fair, one of the largest in the southern hemisphere, near Bothaville, South Africa, May 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay)
A cap celebrating the Afrikaner cow breed is on display at the Nampo agricultural fair, one of the largest in the southern hemisphere, near Bothaville, South Africa, May 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay)
This is a photo gallery curated by AP photo editors.
A view of crosses planted at the White Cross Monument, each one marking a white farmer who has been killed in a farm murder, is seen on a hillside in Ysterberg near Polokwane, South Africa, May 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)
A view of crosses planted at the White Cross Monument, each one marking a white farmer who has been killed in a farm murder, is seen on a hillside in Ysterberg near Polokwane, South Africa, May 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)
A view of crosses planted at the White Cross Monument, each one marking a white farmer who has been killed in a farm murder, is seen on a hillside in Ysterberg near Polokwane, South Africa, May 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)
A view of crosses planted at the White Cross Monument, each one marking a white farmer who has been killed in a farm murder, is seen on a hillside in Ysterberg near Polokwane, South Africa, May 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)
A rose is set on Visitors at the Nampo agricultural fair, one of the largest in the southern hemisphere, walk past the wall of remembrance, a tribute to farmers killed since 1961, at the Nampo agricultural fair, one of the largest in the southern hemisphere, near Bothaville, South Africa, May 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay)
Tourists visit the Nampo agricultural fair, one of the largest in the southern hemisphere, near Bothaville, South Africa, May 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay)
Farmers visit the Nampo agricultural fair, one of the largest in the southern hemisphere, near Bothaville, South Africa, May 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay)
Farmers visit the Nampo agricultural fair, one of the largest in the southern hemisphere, near Bothaville, South Africa, May 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay)
Farmers visit the Nampo agricultural fair, one of the largest in the southern hemisphere, near Bothaville, South Africa, May 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay)
Visitors at the Nampo agricultural fair, one of the largest in the southern hemisphere, photograph the wall of remembrance, a tribute to farmers killed since 1961, near Bothaville, South Africa, May 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay)
Farmers visit the Nampo agricultural fair, one of the largest in the southern hemisphere, near Bothaville, South Africa, May 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay)
Farmers visit the Nampo agricultural fair, one of the largest in the southern hemisphere, near Bothaville, South Africa, May 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay)
Farmers participate in a truck loading competition at the Nampo agricultural fair, one of the largest in the southern hemisphere, near Bothaville, South Africa, May 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay)
Farmers visit the Nampo agricultural fair, one of the largest in the southern hemisphere, near Bothaville, South Africa, May 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay)
Farmers sit for lunch at the Nampo agricultural fair, one of the largest in the southern hemisphere, near Bothaville, South Africa, May 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay)
A hand gun from a retailer is on display at the Nampo agricultural fair, one of the largest in the southern hemisphere, near Bothaville, South Africa, May 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay)
Visitors at the Nampo agricultural fair, one of the largest in the southern hemisphere, sit in there shade near Bothaville, South Africa, May 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay)
Farmers visit the Nampo agricultural fair, one of the largest in the southern hemisphere, near Bothaville, South Africa, May 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay)
Visitors at the Nampo agricultural fair, one of the largest in the southern hemisphere, check names on the wall of remembrance, a tribute to farmers killed since 1961, near Bothaville, South Africa, May 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay)
Visitors at the Nampo agricultural fair, one of the largest in the southern hemisphere, ride past the wall of remembrance, a tribute to farmers killed since 1961, near Bothaville, South Africa, May 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay)
Visitors at the Nampo agricultural fair, one of the largest in the southern hemisphere, walk past the wall of remembrance, a tribute to farmers killed since 1961, near Bothaville, South Africa, May 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay)
Farmers visit the Nampo agricultural fair, one of the largest in the southern hemisphere, near Bothaville, South Africa, May 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay)
A cap celebrating the Afrikaner cow breed is on display at the Nampo agricultural fair, one of the largest in the southern hemisphere, near Bothaville, South Africa, May 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay)
