A delegation from AfriForum, Solidariteit, and the Solidarity Movement met with senior Trump administration officials at the White House this week in an effort to lobby for US intervention in South Africa’s political landscape.
AfriForum intensifies lobbying efforts in the US
The meeting, led by Flip Buys (Solidarity Movement chairperson), included AfriForum CEO Kallie Kriel, Solidarity CEO Dr. Dirk Hermann, and Jaco Kleynhans, Head of International Liaison at the Solidarity Movement.
The groups expressed gratitude to Trump’s administration for what they described as “highlighting human rights violations against Afrikaners” and for criticising ANC policies on land expropriation and economic transformation.
In a memorandum handed to Trump officials, the delegation argued against economic sanctions on South Africa, urging the US to apply targeted pressure on ANC leaders instead of punishing the country as a whole.
They also raised concerns about the Expropriation Act, racial legislation, and attacks on Afrikaans-language schools under the BELA Act.
“The current diplomatic crisis was caused by the ANC. This is not just a minor diplomatic misunderstanding,” According to Dr Dirk Hermann.
Ernst Roets resigns before US misinformation blitz
Notably absent from the US visit was Ernst Roets, AfriForum’s former Head of Policy, who resigned from the organisation just a week before the trip.
Roets, a controversial figure, previously made headlines with appearances on Fox News’s Tucker Carlson Show, where he framed Afrikaners as victims of state-endorsed persecution.
His departure has sparked speculation about internal tensions within AfriForum as the group intensifies its US lobbying efforts.
Some critics have suggested that Roets’ resignation could be a strategy to allow him to continue pushing Afrikaner narratives abroad without directly implicating AfriForum in political controversy.
Debunked claims and backlash in South Africa
AfriForum’s claims of “rampant farm murders” targeting Afrikaners were a key talking point during the meeting.
However, these allegations contradict official South African crime statistics.
According to 2024/25 third-quarter crime data, out of 6,953 reported murders, only 12 were classified as farm-related—a mix of farmers, farmworkers, and security personnel.
Despite this, AfriForum maintains that white South African farmers are disproportionately at risk and are victims of government-sanctioned land grabs and violence.
The MK Party (MKP) has since accused AfriForum of treason, alleging that the group misled Trump’s administration about South Africa’s land reform policies.
The party argues that AfriForum’s influence led to Trump’s executive order cutting US financial assistance to South Africa and the proposal to grant Afrikaners refugee status in the US.
MKP deputy president John Hlophe called AfriForum’s actions “an act of economic sabotage, a direct assault on our nation’s independence, and a dangerous attempt to undermine the will of our people.”
As AfriForum continues its international campaign, its growing ties with Trump-aligned figures in the US suggest that South Africa’s diplomatic tensions with Washington may escalate in the months ahead.
