Minister Ronald Lamola claims South Africa has more white people than Australia, Argentina, and Brazil
Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ronald Lamola, claimed that South Africa has the highest number of white people outside the Northern Hemisphere.
He shared this view during a panel discussion at the African Diaspora Forum hosted by the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation on Friday, 18 September 2026.
This engagement formed part of a working visit in Washington, DC, ahead of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
During a panel discussion, Lamola said that South Africa is the antithesis of what the United States administration seeks in diversity initiatives.
“The United States is opposing the advancement of black lives and the civil rights that black movements have fought for over many years.”
“If South African democracy succeeds in demonstrating that all humanity can live together, it proves that multi-racial democracy can also succeed in the US.”
He argued that opponents seek to undermine South Africa because it stands as a pivotal example of a diverse democracy.
“We constitute the highest number of white people outside of the Northern Hemisphere,” he claims.
“Blacks and whites coexist. South Africa has a constitutional democracy that allows everyone to live together free of any restraints of any nature.”
The data shows that Lamola is wrong, and his argument that a happy white population lives in South Africa is questionable.
The latest census figures show that South Africa has 4.5 million white people, much lower than Brazil’s 88 million and Argentina’s 40 million.
It is also lower than Australia’s white population of 19 million and Chile’s 10 million. South Africa is, therefore, fifth.
However, what makes South Africa’s white population unique is that it is shrinking, partly because so many are leaving the country.
The white population declined from 5.2 million in 1995 to 4.5 million three decades later, making it the only racial group in South Africa which is declining.
Many white people left South Africa for the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and the United States.
The reasons include the high crime rate, racial laws targeting white people, and better international career opportunities.
Lamola’s claim that the white population lives free in South Africa is tenacious, as the high emigration rate tells a different story.
White population of countries in the Southern Hemisphere
| Country | White population |
| Brazil | 88.2 million |
| Argentina | 37.1 million |
| Australia | 20.9 million |
| Chile | 12.5 million |
| South Africa | 4.5 million |
White population in South Africa
| Year | White Population | Percentage of total population |
| 1991 Census | 5,068,000 | 12.60% |
| 2001 Census | 4,293,640 | 9.60% |
| 2011 Census | 4,586,838 | 8.90% |
| 2022 Census | 4,504,252 | 7.30% |
The share of the white population in South Africa
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Must be a 10%er or thinks like one.