US Department of State principal deputy spokesperson Tommy Pigott has asserted that the first batch of South African Afrikaners to be granted “refugee” status meet the same standard that is applied for all refugees, stressing US President Donald Trump’s “concerns” about South Africa, although he failed to provide evidence of a genocide.

The US administration this week welcomed 59 white South Africans, as the first batch of Afrikaners to be granted “refugee status” by Trump, supported by the belief that they had been persecuted and amid claims of genocide.

Relations between the US and South Africa have been strained since early this year, with Trump ending funding for critical health programmes owing to his disapproval of South Africa’s land policies and its case against Israel in the International Court of Justice.

Meanwhile, President Cyril Ramaphosa has confirmed that he will hold talks with Trump, in the US, next week in an attempt to reset relations.

Addressing journalists in a press briefing on Thursday, Pigott noted that there were certain criteria and standards for refugee status in the US.

He said the standard was uniform “across the board”.

“They [white South Africans] have met the standard that is applicable by the . . . applicable for those refugees. We have seen that process play out. This has been a priority for the President. And again, just looking at this scenario, we have heard harrowing stories here. That is what is at issue here, the fact that these people have gone through certain conditions. We have seen that standard for refugees applied. They have gone through this process. It’s a priority from the President, and that’s why we’re seeing the actions that were taken,” he asserted.

When pressed by journalists about the US administration’s consideration of genocide in South Africa and any evidence the US had to support this, Pigott deflected questions to past utterances made by Trump on the matter, repeating Trump’s concerns regarding South Africa and the treatment of Afrikaners in South Africa.

“Well, this has been a concern that the President’s had for a very long time. He’s been clear about that for years about the abuses we are seeing in South Africa. So, this is a priority outlined by the President. The President then directed the State Department and others to implement that priority, and we’re seeing the State Department fulfil those executive orders,” he said.

When asked repeatedly to provide evidence of alleged genocide in South Africa against white South Africans, Pigott instead pointed to “harrowing” stories made by the so-called refugees about the treatment that they suffered.

“…so, what we are seeing is a problem that’s been identified by the President and the State Department fulfilling those executive orders. So again, we have heard these stories that have come through. The refugees there met the same statute for refugees that is uniform and standard, and that’ll continue to – to implement the President’s priorities in this regard,” he explained.

Journalists questioned why white South Africans received an “accelerated refugee process”, to which Pigott stressed Trump’s “concerns with South Africa”, which he said led to a priority that was fulfilled by the US administration.

Pigott was asked if the decision to expedite the refugee process for the South Africans were as a result of “racial reasoning”, given that there are many people of colour not being allowed into the US as refugees despite also meeting the criteria, and he once again spoke of “harrowing stories”, “a priority from the President” and an application of standards for refugees.