Mahama condemns Trump’s ‘white genocide’ claims as distortion of Africa’s history

By Praisebell Rosemond Larbi

President John Dramani Mahama has rebuked U.S. President Donald Trump over his controversial “white genocide” claims against South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, describing them as factually baseless, historically insensitive, and a direct insult to Africa’s painful legacy of colonialism and apartheid.

In an opinion piece, Mr. Mahama condemned Trump’s remarks as a distortion of historical truth and an affront to the memory of the millions who suffered under South Africa’s apartheid regime. The remarks in question were reportedly made during a meeting between Trump and Ramaphosa at the White House, where Trump raised alarm over alleged systemic violence against white farmers in South Africa—a claim widely debunked by both South African officials and international observers.

“It is not enough to be affronted by these claims or to casually dismiss them as untruths,” Mr. Mahama wrote. “These statements are a clear example of how language can be leveraged to extend the effects of previous injustices.”

Mr. Mahama noted that while apartheid may have formally ended three decades ago, its economic and social legacies remain deeply entrenched in South African society. “The majority of the country’s wealth is still concentrated in the hands of a small white minority,” he stated, highlighting that racially exclusive enclaves such as Orania and Kleinfontein still openly exist and thrive, decades after the fall of apartheid.

“Had Black South Africans wanted to exact revenge on Afrikaners, surely they would have done so decades ago,” Mr. Mahama argued. “The idea that there is an orchestrated campaign of violence against whites is not only baseless—it is inflammatory and dangerous.”

He pointed out that Trump’s claims were not only untrue but relied heavily on manipulated content, including images and videos taken from unrelated conflicts in the Democratic Republic of Congo, which were then misrepresented as evidence of racially targeted violence in South Africa.

Drawing from his own experience as a student activist in Ghana during the anti-apartheid era, Mr. Mahama recalled the pan-African solidarity that fueled resistance against colonialism and white-minority rule across the continent. He referenced watershed moments in South African history such as the Sharpeville Massacre of 1960 and the Soweto Uprising of 1976 as enduring symbols of African resistance and sacrifice.

“Those who dare to distort the narrative of apartheid and post-apartheid South Africa not only dishonour the dead—they also insult the living memory of an entire continent,” Mr. Mahama warned.

Quoting celebrated African intellectual Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o and Nobel laureate Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Mr. Mahama underscored the role of memory and truth in building a just and inclusive future.

He accused Trump of intentionally weaponising misinformation for political ends, warning that such behaviour has far-reaching implications not just for South Africa, but for global discourse on race, history, and justice.

Mr. Mahama also expressed solidarity with President Cyril Ramaphosa, noting that he had been ambushed and misrepresented during his engagement with Trump, despite clearly stating that his government does not tolerate any form of racial discrimination.

“Our world is in real crisis,” Mr. Mahama wrote. “Real refugees are being turned away, real genocides are happening in real time… and yet we must waste breath on fabrications that dishonour our past and derail our progress.”