The South African government has rejected a post by United States President Donald Trump claiming that Afrikaners are a persecuted white minority, saying the allegation is "ahistorical" and not supported by fact.

In a statement issued on Saturday, the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (Dirco) said the attempt to define Afrikaners as an exclusively white group distorted South African history and misrepresented the present.

"The characterisation of Afrikaners as an exclusively white group is ahistorical. Furthermore, the claim that this community faces persecution is not substantiated by fact," the statement said.

The government noted that it has responded to similar claims before, including clarifications on farm murders and refugee policy, but said it would not "relitigate unfounded narratives recycled for political effect abroad."

Keep up with the latest headlines on WhatsApp | LinkedIn

Instead, Pretoria linked the matter to South Africa's current diplomatic agenda as incoming host of the G20 leaders' summit, saying it intends to focus on multilateral cooperation and shared prosperity, not imported disputes.

Dirco spokesperson Chrispin Phiri said South Africa "will not be pulled into manufactured narratives designed for political gain elsewhere."

"South Africa rejects claims that are not grounded in fact. Our priority is constructive global cooperation, not political theatre," he said.- Mail & Guardian

The Namibian uses AI tools to assist with improved quality, accuracy and efficiency, while maintaining editorial oversight and journalistic integrity.