South African Court Ruling Misrepresented by SowetanLIVE in White Genocide Debate

Fact-Check Reveals Limited Scope of Western Cape High Court Decision, Contradicting Broad Claims

A recent SowetanLIVE article claims the Western Cape High Court ruled that “claims of white genocide were ‘clearly imagined and not real,’” using this to debunk persecution of white minorities, including in response to President Trump’s remarks to Ramaphosa.

However, a fact-check of the judgment, Gerntholtz v Pieterse N.O., [2025] ZAWCHC 51, February 18, 2025, reveals misrepresentation.

The court invalidated a bequest to the white supremacist group Boerelegioen, labeling the testator’s belief in an impending “white genocide” as “imagined” in that specific case, driven by personal paranoia, not a national finding.

It did not address farm murders or land expropriation.

SowetanLIVE’s generalization misleads readers by misapplying the ruling, which labeled a testator’s belief in ‘white genocide’ as ‘imagined’ in a specific context, not as a national verdict.

By extending this narrow finding to dismiss broader claims of white minority persecution, the article distorts the judgment’s focus on a single bequest’s validity, ignoring its lack of relevance to farm murders or land policies, thus confusing readers about the legal and factual scope.

SowetanLIVE’s claim oversteps the ruling’s scope, constituting misinformation.

The outlet should clarify to avoid fueling debate with inaccurate legal framing.

SAFLII: Gerntholtz and Others v Pieterse N.O and Others (3958/2023) [2025] ZAWCHC 51 (18 February 2025)

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