Dutch King and Queen Confronted by Protesters Demanding Apology and Reparations During South Africa Visit

King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima's visit to Slave Lodge Museum met with calls for projects to aid the descendants of those affected by Dutch colonial rule.

On their first visit to an African country since ascending the throne, Dutch royals King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima visited the Slave Lodge Museum in Cape Town, South Africa, where Dutch colonists once enslaved thousands of Africans and Asians.
The royal visit was met with protests by South Africa's Indigenous groups, the Khoi and the San and descendants of those enslaved by the Dutch, demanding a direct apology from the Netherlands along with reparations for the atrocities committed during 150 years of Dutch colonial rule.
Earlier this year, King Willem-Alexander had apologized for his country’s role in slavery and colonialism but did not make an apology or offer restitution during this visit. Instead, he emphasised that the purpose of the visit was for the royals to listen and learn.
From 1652 to 1803, Dutch violent rule included forcing the San and Khoi into indentured servitude, displacing Indigenous people, and trafficking 63,000 people from regions as far as Indonesia, Madagascar and Mozambique. Many were sold to farmers near Cape Town metropolis, and the Dutch East India Company kept 9,000 people in horrific conditions at the Slave Lodge.
During their visit to South Africa, the Dutch royals also met with President Cyril Ramaphosa, visited the Apartheid Museum in Johannesburg and Freedom Park in Pretoria, interacted with L.G.B.T. activists, inspected a green energy project, and spoke with representatives of local First Nations groups.