.png)
Claims of white genocide 'not real', South African court rules
- Khanyisile Ngcobo | BBC
- Feb 27, 2025
- 3 min read
A South African court has dismissed claims of a white genocide in the country as "clearly imagined" and "not real", undermining comments made by US President Donald Trump and his adviser Elon Musk.
The ruling came as the court blocked a wealthy benefactor's donation to white supremacist group Boerelegioen.
Grantland Michael Bray wanted to bequeath $2.1m ( £1.7m) to the group to help it "further its messages of racial hatred and separation".
But the court ruled this request was invalid, vague and "contrary to public policy".
Trump has referred to the "large-scale killing of farmers" in South Africa, while Musk has condemned what he said were "racist ownership laws" and previously condemned the "genocide of white people".
Despite vowing to crack down on immigration, Trump has said that white South African farmers would be allowed to settle in the US as refugees because of the persecution he said they faced.
Musk was born and grew up in South Africa before moving to the US.
The court action was brought by Mr Gray's four siblings, who are also trustees and beneficiaries of the family trust.
In it, they claimed that their brother had become "obsessed with the idea of an impending genocide of white people in South Africa" in the last 10 years of his life.
He died in March 2022.
Mr Gray, who was paralysed following an accident aged 26 while doing military service, had also become paranoid, believing the supposed "genocide" would occur soon.
"That idea was further fuelled by his already present racism and the online content that he was exposed to," Judge Rosheni Allie summarised in a 15 February ruling that has just come to light.
Mr Gray first met members of the Boerelegioen in 2020 and allegedly gave them about $326,000 (£258,000) in gold coins to help fund their cause and gain membership of the racist group.
The Boerelegioen describes itself as a "civil defence movement that enables citizens to resist the promised slaughter of whites in RSA [Republic of South Africa] as well as the theft of their property".
Mr Gray subsequently made the organisation a beneficiary to his estate, specifying that a portion of the money go towards the various training programmes the group ran.
But because there were three entities all bearing the Boerelegioen name, the court found that Mr Gray's bequest made was "vague concerning which entity was the intended beneficiary" of his will.
"The only expression of the [Mr Gray's] intention that is evident is the intention for the funds to be used for 'training' as well as [his] own assertions that he wanted the funds used to benefit an organisation which he deemed to be one which will exterminate every black person in South Africa and will be used to defend or ward off a white genocide, which is clearly imagined and not real," Judge Allie said.
On the public policy issue, Mr Gray's siblings contended that Boerelegioen wanted to use the funds to "further... its messages of racial hatred and separation".
Boerelegioen says it simply provides security and training services to communities and does not exclude anyone on the basis of race, gender or religion.
Judge Allie ruled in favour of the siblings and ordered Boerelegioen to pay the costs in the court case.
Earlier this month, Trump signed an executive order freezing financial aid to the country over a new law allowing for land seizures by the South African government under certain circumstances.
The status of white South African farmers has long been a rallying cry on the right and far-right of American politics.
But despite numerous claims in the past of the systematic targeting of the country's white Afrikaner minority group, local crime statistics figures paint a different picture.
South Africa does not release crime figures based on race but the latest figures revealed that 6,953 people were murdered in the country between October and December 2024.
Of these, 12 were killed in farm attacks. Of the 12, one was a farmer, while five were farm dwellers and four were employees, who are likely to have been black.
In contrast, 961 women were murdered alongside 273 children.
(c) 2025, BBC
This is such an insightful and well-written post! I really appreciate the effort you’ve put into making the content both informative and engaging. It’s refreshing to read something that provides real value and clarity to readers.
For anyone navigating the funding landscape, professional Grant Writing Services can make a meaningful difference. These services specialize in identifying suitable opportunities and crafting compelling applications that align with funder expectations. By leveraging Grant Research Services, you ensure that your proposals are clear, detailed, and impactful. This not only improves your chances of receiving funding but also helps present your ideas in the most professional manner. Investing in expert assistance can turn a good concept into a successfully funded project, making your efforts more rewarding.
This is such a well-written and engaging post! I really appreciate the clarity and creativity in the way you’ve shared your ideas. It’s always refreshing to come across content that feels both informative and enjoyable to read. The effort you’ve put into making it simple yet impactful truly shows—great job!
It also reminds me how much people enjoy experimenting with creative tools and ideas online. Things like Lingo Brights, Tavern Name Generator, Korean Name Converter, English to Korean Name Translator, DnD name generator and Bard Name Generator reflect how curiosity and creativity come together in fun ways. Exploring names, languages, and unique concepts has become such an interesting trend lately.
What I noticed while using Sikkim Login Game is that the login process is quite fast. It doesn’t keep you waiting, which is a good thing. Even on my normal internet connection, it worked fine. I like that it’s straightforward. However, adding some extra safety steps like OTP verification would make it more reliable.
Nice article, clear, informative, and easy to read, Thanks for sharing! findtime.io is a modern time zone converter and world clock to plan meetings across time zones, save team city groups, and share with Google or Outlook.
This court ruling is a significant step in establishing legal precedent for genocide-related claims. The importance of documenting and tracking such legal developments across different jurisdictions cannot be overstated. I've found openclaw to be particularly useful for monitoring how international courts handle these complex human rights cases. Grateful for the Lemkin Institute's continued work in this space.