Judge Rosheni Allie of a South African court dismissed the notion of an impending “white genocide” as “clearly imagined” while blocking a substantial settlement made to the far-right group Boerelegioen.
The court’s decision comes in the wake of accusations from former U.S. President Donald Trump and billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk who have alleged that South Africa’s government is actively targeting the country’s white minority.
This decision directly contradicts recent remarks from Trump and Musk, both of whom have amplified the allegations on global platforms.
Trump had previously warned of a supposed “large-scale killing of farmers” in South Africa, while Musk labeled the situation “horrific”, accusing the ruling African National Congress (ANC) of being complicit.
This case involved Mr. Gray, a former military serviceman who was left paralysed after an accident at 26, and who later became entrenched in racist conspiracy theories.
Gray believing that whites in South Africa were facing imminent extermination had willed a fortune of $326,000 in gold coins to Boerelegioen an extremist organisation he thought would “defend” against this supposed threat.
However, his siblings challenged the settlement arguing it would finance racial hatred leading to a pivotal legal battle over intent, ethics and public policy.
Mr. Gray’s transformation from an injured veteran to a radicalised conspiracy theorist raises troubling questions about the power of online misinformation and far-right networks.
After his accident, he became increasingly isolated and paranoid consuming extremist content that reinforced his racist beliefs.
In 2020, he encountered members of Boerelegioen and convinced of their mission, began financially supporting them.
He even named the group as a beneficiary in his will ensuring his assets would be directed toward their “training programmes.”
Boerelegioen brands itself as a “civil defence movement” claiming to offer security and training services to South African communities.
However, critics including Gray’s own family argue that it operates as a white supremacist militia seeking racial division under the guise of self-defence.
Despite its public denials, the group is widely associated with extremist rhetoric and preparations for an imagined racial war.
In her ruling, Judge Allie firmly rejected Gray’s claims of a looming white genocide, stating that his paranoia had been “fuelled by already present racism and the online content that he was exposed to.
“Crucially, the court found Gray’s will legally vague as three separate entities used the name Boerelegioen making it unclear which one was meant to receive the funds.”
More significantly, the judge ruled that the intended use of the money “training” posed serious public policy concerns as it could enable extremist activities.
Gray’s siblings successfully argued that their brother’s bequest would facilitate racial hatred violating constitutional values.
The court sided with them preventing Boerelegioen from receiving the inheritance and ordering the organisation to cover the legal costs.
This ruling not only protects Gray’s estate from being misused but also sets a crucial precedent against financing extremist groups under the pretext of civil defence.
This case is more than a legal dispute, it highlights the devastating consequences of radicalisation and the real-world impact of racist propaganda.
