A South African court has ruled that claims of a so-called “white genocide” in the country are baseless, dismissing them as “clearly imagined” and “not real.” The ruling directly contradicts previous statements made by U.S. President Donald Trump and billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk, both of whom have promoted the idea that white South African farmers are being systematically targeted.
The court case centered around the estate of Grantland Michael Gray, a wealthy benefactor who sought to bequeath $2.1 million (approximately £1.7 million) to the white supremacist group Boerelegioen. Gray, who became paralyzed at 26 during military service, reportedly became obsessed in his later years with the belief that a genocide against white people was imminent in South Africa. His siblings, who are also trustees and beneficiaries of the family trust, contested the bequest, arguing that Gray had become increasingly paranoid due to exposure to online misinformation and racist ideologies.
Judge Rosheni Allie ruled that Gray’s donation was invalid on the grounds that it was vague, contrary to public policy, and aimed at promoting racial hatred. She noted that Gray had previously given approximately $326,000 (£258,000) in gold coins to Boerelegioen to support their cause and gain membership. Boerelegioen, which describes itself as a “civil defense movement,” claims it exists to prevent the “promised slaughter of whites” and the theft of their property, a notion the court decisively rejected.
Judge Allie emphasized that Gray’s will contained explicit assertions that his money should support an organization that would “exterminate every black person in South Africa.” The court found these claims, as well as the broader narrative of white genocide, to be entirely unfounded.
Despite Trump’s claims of “large-scale killing of farmers” and Musk’s condemnation of so-called “racist ownership laws,” crime statistics from South Africa paint a different picture. The country does not release crime data based on race, but between October and December 2024, 6,953 people were murdered, with only 12 of those killings occurring on farms. Among the victims, just one was a farmer, while others included farm dwellers and employees, many of whom were black. By contrast, 961 women and 273 children were murdered during the same period, highlighting broader concerns about violent crime in the nation.
This ruling not only refutes the persistent myth of a white genocide but also serves as a legal precedent against funding racist organizations under false pretenses. The case underscores the dangers of misinformation and its real-world consequences.
