'Opens new wounds': South African man whose parents' memorial was called 'burial site' by Trump

A video played by US President Donald Trump during his meeting with South Africa counterpart Cyril Ramaphosa has opened "several new wounds" for a white South African man.

Also Read: Donald Trump shows Cyril Ramaphosa evidence of 'white genocide' in South Africa during explosive Oval Office meeting

Nathan Rafferty, who now lives in Brisbane, Australia, has said he was "shocked" when the clip, taken in South Africa's KwaZulu-Natal province, was played during the Trump-Ramaphosa meeting.

"The last thing you expect to see are some of the most traumatic parts of your life shown on international TV. So it was totally unexpected. It obviously opened several new wounds," Rafferty told US news outlet NPR.


The US president used the video to support his allegation of a "genocide" of white South Africans. However, what he alleged to be a "burial site," turned out to be a memorial for Rafferty's murdered parents.

Also Read: Is 'white genocide' real in South Africa? Unpacking Donald Trump’s Oval Office claim

"My parents Glen and Vida were gunned down by six men on their farm in 2020, so those crosses were erected as a memorial on the day of their funeral. The local community used it as a means of protest and to pay tribute," Rafferty stated.

He also rejected the Republican leader's "genocide" charge. However, he admitted "much more needs to be done" to prevent such "brutal attacks."

Also Read: White House's Karoline Leavitt spars with reporter over video of white South African farmers' 'burial sites'

"Do I think that there's a targeted genocide program of some sort? No, I don't. But I never went farming because I was fearful of the tinderbox that it is, despite having four generations of farmers in my family," Rafferty said.