JOHANNESBURG, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- South African Democratic Alliance (DA) leader John Steenhuisen has rejected claims that a so-called "white genocide" is taking place in South Africa.
Speaking to the media on Thursday at the Press Gallery Association, the DA leader said there was no "white genocide" in South Africa, but rather a severe and wide-ranging crime problem affecting citizens regardless of race.
"If one looks at the cold, hard statistics, it's very clear where the crime problem is, and who is bearing the burden, it is not a white genocide, not at all," Steenhuisen said.
"We have white people murdered, yes. But we also have colored and black South Africans," as well as Indian South Africans and people of other South Asian descent "that are being murdered as well," he said.
His remarks were made in response to renewed claims by U.S. President Donald Trump at the World Economic Forum in Davos, where Trump again alleged that South Africa is experiencing "white genocide" and criticized the treatment of Afrikaner communities.
"Despite all the evidence to the contrary, the hard statistics and many efforts to display that this is not the case in South Africa," Steenhuisen said. "That is his perception of the country."
The DA leader said that Trump was promoting a narrative aligned with his own agenda, regardless of factual rebuttals.
"He is not going to believe it because he has to push that agenda," Steenhuisen said.
South Africa is a wonderful country. There are incredible things happening, but bad things as well, just as in the United States, the DA leader said. ■