South Africa to Deport Kenyans Linked to US Afrikaner Refugee Programme
South Africa has ordered the deportation of seven Kenyan nationals arrested while working at a centre processing applications for a controversial United States refugee programme targeting white South Africans. The Department of Home Affairs said the individuals entered the country on tourist visas after failing to secure work permits, yet were found carrying out immigration related duties in Johannesburg. Authorities said this breached South African immigration law. Each of the seven has been issued with a deportation order and will be barred from re-entering South Africa for five years. Officials stressed that no United States government staff were detained during the operation. The arrests have added to diplomatic tension surrounding the US refugee programme, which prioritises Afrikaners claiming racial persecution. South Africa has repeatedly rejected the premise of the scheme, describing claims of systemic persecution as unfounded and politically charged. Pretoria confirmed that discussions are under way with both the United States and Kenya to address the incident, as scrutiny intensifies over the legal and diplomatic implications of the programme.
| 2025-12-17 13:52:32