US President Donald Trump’s executive order granting Afrikaners refugee status and facilitating their resettlement in the U.S. has resulted in over 17,500 emails, calls, and messages from South Africans to the South African Chamber of Commerce in the US (SACCUSA), causing their website to crash. In an interview, Neil Diamond, the President of SACCUSA, told BizNews that they have been overwhelmed by these inquiries.

Diamond expressed concern about the impact of Trump’s actions on South Africa’s economy, stating that the impact on food security is not being taken seriously. He called for “all hands on deck” to resolve the crisis, emphasising that South Africa now needs one voice.

Heading to Washington to lobby South Africa’s case, Diamond has called on President Cyril Ramaphosa to join the business community in the United States for roundtable discussions with the US President and the Secretary of State.