US ends HIV/AIDS funding programme in South Africa, cites failure to protect white citizens

The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump has announced the termination of the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) support for South Africa, citing concerns over the country's handling of issues affecting white South Africans.

According to reports by the Daily Caller, the U.S. State Department said the decision followed South Africa's failure to address what Washington described as violence, discrimination and displacement targeting members of the country's white minority population.

The State Department outlined several concerns, including South Africa's Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) policies, which U.S. officials argued do not provide exemptions for American companies operating in the country.

Washington also criticised what it described as the South African government's failure to strongly condemn racially charged rhetoric, including the controversial "Kill the Boer" chant, which has long been a subject of political debate.

Another issue raised was South Africa's Expropriation Act of 2024. U.S. officials warned against policies that could allow the seizure of property without what they termed fair compensation and due process.

The State Department further called on Pretoria to classify rural crime as a national priority and allocate more resources toward addressing attacks in farming communities.

In addition, Washington expressed concerns about South Africa's handling of refugee-related matters, urging authorities to avoid actions that could interfere with the implementation of refugee programmes under South African law.

Trump has repeatedly accused South African authorities of failing to adequately protect white farmers and other members of the country's white minority community.

During a White House meeting in May 2025 with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, Trump directed aides to dim the lights in the Oval Office and played a compilation of videos showing opposition politicians chanting slogans calling for the killing of Boers, a term commonly associated with white farmers.

While the footage was being shown, Trump claimed there were more than a thousand burial sites belonging to white farmers and alleged that families regularly gathered there to honour victims.

Reports indicated that Ramaphosa remained largely expressionless throughout the presentation.

The meeting later became tense when an NBC News correspondent attempted to question Trump about a luxury aircraft donated by Qatar to the United States.

An irritated Trump interrupted the journalist, accusing the network of trying to shift attention away from the issue of violence against white South Africans.

The U.S. president later displayed newspaper clippings and reports that he said documented murders and rapes involving white South Africans.

"These articles over the last few days, death of people, death, death, horrible death," Trump said while holding up the reports.

Source: Sahara Reporters