JOHANNESBURG, July 2 (Xinhua) -- A delegation of Afrikaner interest groups held a media briefing on Wednesday at O.R. Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg, South Africa, following their return from the United States, a visit described as a "comprehensive success."
The delegation included members from several organizations, including the Freedom Front Plus, the National Employers' Association of South Africa, and the Southern African Agri Initiative.
Corne Mulder, leader of the Freedom Front Plus, told media that the group traveled to the United States following an official invitation. During the visit, they met with officials at the White House, the Bureau of African Affairs at the U.S. Department of State, and with staff from the office of U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance.
Mulder noted that from their discussions, it was evident that the United States was open to "resetting" its relationship with South Africa, particularly if the South African government stepped back from redress policies such as the Expropriation Act.
"We had a very successful visit to Washington, D.C. In the White House, we had successful meetings where we dealt with several issues that are important to Afrikaners as well as other minorities," Mulder said.
The group said they did not go to the United States to "complain," but to find a way to normalize relations between the two countries. "The U.S. and the Trump administration want to deal with South Africa in a positive manner. There are opportunities, but there are also issues that need to be dealt with first," Mulder said.
The group also said they had met with officials overseeing the Afrikaner refugee program. The program, they said, was based on concerns about alleged injustices against white South Africans.
Trump signed an executive order in February, granting refugee status to white Afrikaners and allowing them to come to the United States. His administration said white Afrikaners were being targeted and had their land seized, a claim the South African government has rejected as "misinformation."
Afrikaners are descendants of Dutch and French settlers in South Africa. Dozens of so-called "Afrikaner refugees" have left for the United States since May due to the executive order.
