The United States issued a record number of temporary work visas to South Africans in the past fiscal year, highlighting the increasing role they play in the country's agricultural sector.
According to data from the US Department of State, South African workers received 15,159 H-2A visas in the fiscal year ending September 2023, marking a 19% increase from the previous year.
While South Africans are the second-largest recipients of these agricultural guest worker visas, they still fall far behind Mexican workers, who received 285,919 permits during the same period.
The demand for migrant workers on American farms has soared in recent years, with the US granting 310,767 temporary visas—more than triple the amount issued a decade ago.
This surge reflects a growing reliance on foreign labour, as American farms require over 850,000 crop workers, nearly half of whom are estimated to be undocumented.
However, South Africa's increased presence in the US labour market is now entangled in political controversy following an executive order issued by former President Donald Trump.
The order, signed on Friday (7 February), called for the resettlement of Afrikaners and their families in the US as refugees.
Trump's decision was based on claims—widely disputed—that South African authorities are seizing land from White farmers without compensation under newly enacted legislation.
The document further claimed that the act follows years of discriminatory policies, including employment and business regulations, as well as rhetoric that allegedly fuels violence against White farmers.
However, experts have pointed out that the law shares similarities with eminent domain provisions in the US, which allow the government to expropriate land under certain conditions.
The opposition Democratic Alliance (DA) has since taken legal action, requesting the High Court to nullify the legislation.
While some advocacy groups have argued that White farmers face targeted violence, South Africa's broader crime crisis cuts across racial lines.
The country suffers from high levels of violent crime, with many attributing the problem to extreme inequality.
Economic growth has remained sluggish at less than 1% annually over the past decade, while unemployment is among the highest globally.
Neil Diamond, president of the South African Chamber of Commerce in the USA, warned of a potential mass exodus of skilled agricultural professionals following Trump's executive order.
Within just 18 hours of the announcement, the Chamber reportedly received over 10,000 inquiries from South Africans seeking refugee status or relocation assistance.
Diamond stressed that the loss of experienced farmers could significantly impact South Africa's food security, disrupt its agricultural value chain, and worsen economic instability.
He also noted that around 11,000 temporary South African agricultural workers currently benefit from the US H-2A visa program, and many may now consider permanent relocation with their families.
Diamond urged both governments to engage in diplomatic discussions to address the situation and prevent unintended economic consequences.
"At this stage, we do not have a clear understanding of what led the US president to take this action," he said.
"However, we have always maintained that policy decisions should be based on facts rather than misinformation."
In response to the escalating tensions, President Cyril Ramaphosa is preparing to send a delegation to Washington in an effort to persuade Trump to reconsider his stance.
Business leaders are also set to engage with their US counterparts, particularly those connected to tech mogul Elon Musk, who has become increasingly influential in Washington.
High-level government discussions are already underway, with sources indicating that a strategy session is scheduled for tomorrow before the official delegation departs for the US.
Given the serious economic and diplomatic implications, efforts are being made on multiple fronts to navigate this unfolding situation.
