BBC Faces Backlash Over Alleged Bias in Coverage of White Farmer Killings in South Africa

[Bkk Brian]

2 minutes ago, BLMFem said:

So we have an opinion piece from "The Telegraph" that states "The BBC Faces Backlash Over Alleged Bias in Coverage of White Farmer Killings in South Africa".

In the opinion piece they quote one - 1 - person, a fringe SA activist.

 

 

An opinion piece that carries weight. It was not claiming genocide. Why did the BBC not make mention of independent reports from the UN?

[Bkk Brian]

1 minute ago, josephbloggs said:

Ah yes, Robert Hersov who's father made his money from mining (ie. stealing South Africa's wealth) and benefitted massively from apartheid, who was awarded medals by the apartheid regime and received an honorary appointment to the South African Defence Force (apartheid military).

The same Robert Hersov who has directly benefitted from apartheid, who made his fortune based on it, he now claims BBC bias against white farmers.

You need to read up more before you quote people, perhaps see if they have an agenda - which he clearly does.

 

There's plenty of reports that show just how bias the BBC have been on this by omission. I've already posted a couple, there are many more

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

I guess Mr. Hersov will also be calling for the Reuters news agency to be disbanded (he called for the BBC to be "disbanded) as well:

 

Per Reuters report, which sounds strikingly similar to the recap of the BBC's reporting in the OP:

 

"Among the claims contradicted by the evidence:

1. There is a genocide of white farmers in South Africa.

This conspiracy theory has been propagated by some fringe groups of white South Africans since the end of apartheid in 1994. It has been circulating in global far-right chat rooms for at least a decade, with the vocal support of Trump's ally, South African-born Elon Musk.

...

The high court in Western Cape province ruled that claims of white genocide were "clearly imagined and not real" in a case earlier this year, forbidding a donation to a white supremacist group on those grounds.

 

(more)

 

https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-makes-false-claims-white-genocide-south-africa-during-ramaphosa-meeting-2025-05-21/

[Bkk Brian]

1 minute ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

I guess Mr. Hersov will also be calling for the Reuters news agency to be eliminated as well:

 

Per Reuters report, which sounds strikingly similar to the recap of the BBC's reporting in the OP:

 

"Among the claims contradicted by the evidence:

1. There is a genocide of white farmers in South Africa.

This conspiracy theory has been propagated by some fringe groups of white South Africans since the end of apartheid in 1994. It has been circulating in global far-right chat rooms for at least a decade, with the vocal support of Trump's ally, South African-born Elon Musk.

...

The high court in Western Cape province ruled that claims of white genocide were "clearly imagined and not real" in a case earlier this year, forbidding a donation to a white supremacist group on those grounds.

 

(more)

 

https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-makes-false-claims-white-genocide-south-africa-during-ramaphosa-meeting-2025-05-21/

Did he claim there was genocide going on?

 

Also from Reuters

 

Farm murders highlight apartheid's toxic legacy in South Africa

ERMELO, South Africa (Reuters) - In a country cursed by one of the world's highest murder rates, being a white farmer makes a violent death an even higher risk.
Whether attacks have been motivated by race or robbery, a rising death rate from rural homicides is drawing attention to the lack of change on South Africa's farms nearly two decades after the end of apartheid - and to the tensions burgeoning over enduring racial inequality.
Some of South Africa's predominantly white commercial farmers go as far as to brand the farm killings a genocide.

https://archive.ph/CbLHQ

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-safrica-farming-crime/farm-murders-highlight-apartheids-toxic-legacy-idUSBRE8AS02120121129/

[BLMFem]

7 minutes ago, Bkk Brian said:

An opinion piece that carries weight. It was not claiming genocide. Why did the BBC not make mention of independent reports from the UN?

"An opinion piece that carries weight. It was not claiming genocide."

 

An opinion piece in "The Telegraph" carries weight??😂

 

"It was not claiming genocide."

 

I never said it did.

 

"Why did the BBC not make mention of independent reports from the UN?"

 

Firstly, why are you asking me about editorial decisions made in a soggy land far, far away? Secondly, which independent UN reports are you referring to?

[Mike_Hunt]

1 minute ago, BLMFem said:

"An opinion piece that carries weight. It was not claiming genocide."

 

An opinion piece in "The Telegraph" carries weight??😂

 

"It was not claiming genocide."

 

I never said it did.

 

"Why did the BBC not make mention of independent reports from the UN?"

 

Firstly, why are you asking me about editorial decisions made in a soggy land far, far away? Secondly, which independent UN reports are you referring to?

 

Are white famers getting murdered?  Yes or No? 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

2 minutes ago, Bkk Brian said:

Did he claim there was genocide going on?

 

Also from Reuters

 

Farm murders highlight apartheid's toxic legacy in South Africa

ERMELO, South Africa (Reuters) - In a country cursed by one of the world's highest murder rates, being a white farmer makes a violent death an even higher risk.
Whether attacks have been motivated by race or robbery, a rising death rate from rural homicides is drawing attention to the lack of change on South Africa's farms nearly two decades after the end of apartheid - and to the tensions burgeoning over enduring racial inequality.
Some of South Africa's predominantly white commercial farmers go as far as to brand the farm killings a genocide.

https://archive.ph/CbLHQ

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-safrica-farming-crime/farm-murders-highlight-apartheids-toxic-legacy-idUSBRE8AS02120121129/

 

For starters, you're quoting a report from 2012...

 

And, more to the point, the actual numbers of white farmers killed in South Africa have already been reported earlier in this thread, and those are a tiny portion of the overall murders occurring in the country, which does indeed have a serious murder rate problem, but not one out of proportion affecting white farmers.

 

[Bkk Brian]

1 minute ago, BLMFem said:

"An opinion piece that carries weight. It was not claiming genocide."

 

An opinion piece in "The Telegraph" carries weight??😂

 

"It was not claiming genocide."

 

I never said it did.

 

"Why did the BBC not make mention of independent reports from the UN?"

 

Firstly, why are you asking me about editorial decisions made in a soggy land far, far away? Secondly, which independent UN reports are you referring to?

Correct, read the OP, it was not claiming Genocide, but if your going to attack the messenger (Telegraph) rather than listen to what he has to say which is also backed up by other reports then you have very little. HRW report. I am sure you can find it

[Bkk Brian]

3 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

For starters, you're quoting a report from 2012...

 

And, more to the point, the actual numbers of white farmers killed in South Africa have already been reported earlier in this thread, and those are a tiny portion of the overall murders occurring in the country, which does indeed have a serious murder rate problem, but not one out of proportion affecting white farmers.

 

For starters, you're quoting a report from 2012...

 

And?

 

Perhaps you should read my first post in the thread.

[BLMFem]

1 minute ago, Mike_Hunt said:

 

Are white famers getting murdered?  Yes or No? 

Yes, some are. A Google search revealed that in 2024 26,232 people were murdered in SA. An extremely violent country, obviously.

[Mike_Hunt]

Just now, BLMFem said:

Yes, some are. A Google search revealed that in 2024 26,232 people were murdered in SA. An extremely violent country, obviously.

I don't why any white person would stay in SA. 

[BLMFem]

3 minutes ago, Bkk Brian said:

Correct, read the OP, it was not claiming Genocide, but if your going to attack the messenger (Telegraph) rather than listen to what he has to say which is also backed up by other reports then you have very little. HRW report. I am sure you can find it

Why are you obsessing over "genocide"? I never mentioned it.

So it's my job to search for reports you are using as "proof"? It seems to be past bedtime for you. Good night.

[BLMFem]

3 minutes ago, Mike_Hunt said:

I don't why any white person would stay in SA. 

Why don't you ask them? Maybe they see the offer from Trump and go "Uh, no thanks, I'd rather stay here".

[Bkk Brian]

1 minute ago, BLMFem said:

Why are you obsessing over "genocide"? I never mentioned it.

So it's my job to search for reports you are using as "proof"? It seems to be past bedtime for you. Good night.

When you have nothing then flame...................

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

16 minutes ago, Mike_Hunt said:

 

Are white famers getting murdered?  Yes or No? 

 

Are black people getting murdered in South Africa?  Yes or no?

Of course they are, and in very large numbers...

 

So are you suggesting merely having people in a group become the victim of murders makes it genocide against that group?

 

Of course it does not.....  But that won't stop certain folks here from continuing to flog the dead horse of non-existent white genocide in South Africa.

 

Per Reuters:

 

"South Africa has one of the world's highest murder rates, with an average of 72 a day, in a country of 60 million people. Most victims are Black. [emphasis added]

 

South African police recorded 26,232 murders nationwide in 2024, of which 44 were linked to farming communities. Of those, eight of the victims were farmers. [emphasis added]

 

Data collected by white farmers themselves also does not support the notion of a genocide. Afrikaner farmers' union TLU-SA has counted 1,363 white farmers murdered since 1990, or an average of 40 a year - far less than 1% of total murders."

 

https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-makes-false-claims-white-genocide-south-africa-during-ramaphosa-meeting-2025-05-21/

 

 

 

[Bkk Brian]

5 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

Are black people getting murdered in South Africa?  Yes or no?

Of course they are, and in very large numbers...

 

So are you suggesting merely having people in a group become the victim of murders makes it genocide against that group?

 

Of course it does not.....  But that won't stop certain folks here from continuing to flog the dead horse of non-existent white genocide in South Africa.

 

Per Reuters:

 

"South Africa has one of the world's highest murder rates, with an average of 72 a day, in a country of 60 million people. Most victims are Black. [emphasis added]

 

South African police recorded 26,232 murders nationwide in 2024, of which 44 were linked to farming communities. Of those, eight of the victims were farmers. [emphasis added]

 

Data collected by white farmers themselves also does not support the notion of a genocide. Afrikaner farmers' union TLU-SA has counted 1,363 white farmers murdered since 1990, or an average of 40 a year - far less than 1% of total murders."

 

https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-makes-false-claims-white-genocide-south-africa-during-ramaphosa-meeting-2025-05-21/

 

 

 

 

Again, no one is claiming genocide, your making it up.

 

This has been going on for years. The effects on white farmers of today are born from this

 

Farm Attacks and Farm Murders Remain a Concern

Johan Burger,  Senior researcher, Crime and Justice Programme, ISS Pretoria

The ongoing scourge of criminal attacks on the farming community in South Africa and the accompanying range of violent crimes such as murder, rape and robbery remain a controversial issue. On the one hand there are those who argue that farmers are more at risk of being targeted by violent criminals than the average citizen. This includes those who represent organised agriculture. Some go as far as claiming that there is a political motive behind these attacks, with the objective of forcing white farmers off the land. Indeed, people like Dr Gregory Stanton of Genocide Watch go even further and claim that the nature and extent of farm murders show worrying signs of genocide. On the other hand, there are those who argue that the criminal victimisation of farmers is no different than that faced by South Africans in general.

https://issafrica.org/iss-today/farm-attacks-and-farm-murders-remain-a-concern

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Per German broadcaster DW:

Fact check: Trump's South Africa 'genocide' claim is wrong

..,.

"The narrative that white population groups are being systematically and deliberately killed is not supported by facts and official statistics. It has been circulating in right-wing circles for years and is linked to the racist conspiracy myth of the "Great Replacement."

...

According to a 2017 report by the South African government, white people own around 72% of agricultural land, while black South Africans only own around 4% of individually registered farms.  White South Africans make up only 7.8% of the total South African population."

 

https://www.dw.com/en/fact-check-trumps-evidence-videos-do-not-show-genocide/a-72642309

 

[Bkk Brian]

1 minute ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

Per German broadcaster DW:

 

Fact check: Trump's South Africa 'genocide' claim is wrong

..,.

"The narrative that white population groups are being systematically and deliberately killed is not supported by facts and official statistics. It has been circulating in right-wing circles for years and is linked to the racist conspiracy myth of the "Great Replacement."

...

According to a 2017 report by the South African government, white people own around 72% of agricultural land, while black South Africans only own around 4% of individually registered farms.  White South Africans make up only 7.8% of the total South African population."

 

https://www.dw.com/en/fact-check-trumps-evidence-videos-do-not-show-genocide/a-72642309

 

Another fact check:

 

The topic is: BBC Faces Backlash Over Alleged Bias in Coverage of White Farmer Killings in South Africa

[Social Media]

Troll post removed @TallGuyJohninBKK please remain on topic.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

The only thing really going on here is the BBC told the truth and called out Trump's genocide claims as false, just the same as have Reuters, CNN, DW, Newsguard and countless other news agencies and fact checkers.

[Bkk Brian]

2 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

The only thing really going on here is the BBC told the truth and called out Trump's genocide claims as false, just the same as have Reuters, CNN, DW, Newsguard and countless other news agencies and fact checkers.

Or you could read the OP and other posts in the thread, Robert Hersov was not claiming genocide

[CG1 Blue]

16 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

Per German broadcaster DW:

Fact check: Trump's South Africa 'genocide' claim is wrong

..,.

"The narrative that white population groups are being systematically and deliberately killed is not supported by facts and official statistics. It has been circulating in right-wing circles for years and is linked to the racist conspiracy myth of the "Great Replacement."

...

According to a 2017 report by the South African government, white people own around 72% of agricultural land, while black South Africans only own around 4% of individually registered farms.  White South Africans make up only 7.8% of the total South African population."

 

https://www.dw.com/en/fact-check-trumps-evidence-videos-do-not-show-genocide/a-72642309

 

I find it distasteful that you can sit there in the safety of your home digging up snippets from the internet to passionately back up your argument, suggesting that there's nothing to see here, and that all is well in South Africa. Are you an expert on South Africa, or are you just googling in order to have a dig at Trump? 

 

Go and live in SA for a few years, or talk to actual South Africans about what's going on under the ANC in their home country, and then report back to us. 

 

Trump made errors no doubt, but he was 100% right to raise awareness of this situation. The BBC hierarchy suffer from white guilt, so the bias is no surprise. 

 

 

[bunnydrops]

11 hours ago, impulse said:

 

Honest question... 

 

Is South African police data credible?

 

That from someone who believes this guy is credible

 

https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/trumps-image-dead-white-farmers-came-reuters-footage-congo-not-south-africa-2025-05-22/

[BangkokReady]

18 hours ago, Social Media said:

a “Leftist” bias in its reporting

 

Well, it is the BBC...

[coolcarer]

48 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

The only thing really going on here is the BBC told the truth and called out Trump's genocide claims as false, just the same as have Reuters, CNN, DW, Newsguard and countless other news agencies and fact checkers.

To you. To those that live there and have experience it reported as it usually does. With left bias. It’s expected from the beeb.