JOHANNESBURG – US teams stationed in Pretoria have been examining over 8,000 applications as part of President Donald Trump’s “Mission South Africa.” The initiative, intended to provide asylum to the country’s white Afrikaner farmers, has sparked controversy, particularly as it is linked to a disinformation campaign claiming these farmers are under siege.

A stark contrast has emerged between the number of applications received and the few selected for relocation. Although reports suggest that more than 70,000 South Africans have applied to relocate to the United States, only 100 Afrikaners have been identified as eligible under the US’s current review process.

At a post-Cabinet briefing in Cape Town, South Africa, on Thursday, Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni questioned the widely circulated figure. “According to data, both from Agri SA and StatsSA in the Department of Agriculture, South Africa only has just over 41,000 commercial farmers,” Ntshavheni explained. “Therefore, there cannot be 72,000 commercial farmers leaving South Africa.” Her comments cast doubt on the numbers being cited, particularly when the figures do not align with the official statistics on the country’s farming sector.