US imposes visa curbs on South Africans

The United States has announced new visa restrictions targeting certain South African nationals linked by the US administration to alleged race-based discrimination, uncompensated land seizures and the incitement of violence against ethnic minorities.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the policy on Tuesday, September 15, 2026, amid continuing tensions between Washington and Pretoria over South Africa’s land reform policies and its approach to racial inequality.

According to the US government, the restrictions apply to foreign nationals involved in or supporting laws or policies that enable uncompensated land seizures, race-based discrimination or the incitement of imminent violence against ethnic minority groups.

The announcement did not identify specific individuals who would be affected by the restrictions.

The latest measure adds to a series of disputes that have strained relations between the two countries since President Donald Trump returned to office.

Washington has repeatedly criticised South Africa’s land expropriation policies, particularly legislation that allows land to be expropriated without compensation under certain circumstances. The Trump administration has argued that such policies unfairly target white South Africans, particularly Afrikaner farmers.

South African authorities have rejected allegations of state-sponsored persecution of white citizens and have defended the country’s land reform programme as part of efforts to address the lasting effects of colonialism and apartheid.

President Cyril Ramaphosa has previously maintained that South Africa’s land reform framework is intended to address historical inequality and that claims of widespread persecution of white South Africans are unfounded.

The disagreement has extended beyond land policy. Washington has also criticised South Africa’s race-conscious economic policies and Pretoria’s foreign policy positions, including its legal action against Israel at the International Court of Justice.

The United States has previously suspended aid to South Africa and expelled its ambassador amid the deterioration in bilateral relations. The Trump administration has also established a refugee pathway for Afrikaners, further intensifying debate over Washington’s assessment of racial conditions in South Africa.

South Africa has consistently disputed the US administration’s characterisation of conditions in the country, arguing that its post-apartheid policies are aimed at correcting historical racial and economic inequalities.

The latest visa restrictions therefore mark another escalation in a relationship that has become increasingly strained over domestic policy, race, land reform and foreign affairs.

While the new measures are targeted at individuals rather than imposing a blanket visa ban on all South Africans, they could further complicate diplomatic relations between Washington and Pretoria as both governments continue to disagree over the country’s racial and land policies.