Afrikaner advocacy groups AfriForum and Solidarity have called on the United States to exert pressure on the South African government, claiming that President Cyril Ramaphosa’s administration is failing to protect their community and address their concerns.
During a recent visit to Washington, representatives from the two organizations alleged that farm murders in South Africa were disproportionately high and that the government’s land expropriation policies were unfairly targeting white farmers. They also claimed that public calls for violence against Afrikaners often go unpunished.
However, South African crime statistics contradict these claims. According to the latest data from the 2024/25 third-quarter crime report, only 12 out of 6,953 reported murders were classified as farm-related, affecting a mix of farm owners, workers, and security personnel.
Despite this, AfriForum and Solidarity presented a memorandum to US officials, arguing that Afrikaners are vulnerable due to land expropriation without compensation, illegal land occupations, and racial discrimination in government policies. They asserted that the Expropriation Act enables the government to seize land without fair negotiations, though legal frameworks in South Africa require mediation and court intervention before expropriation occurs.
The groups also raised concerns about land occupations, referencing a 2020 court ruling affirming that municipalities have a legal duty to manage land invasions while respecting due process. Reports indicate that most land occupations are driven by poverty and housing shortages rather than targeted actions against Afrikaners.
AfriForum and Solidarity acknowledged that some Afrikaners are considering resettlement through the US refugee program, following an offer made by former US President Donald Trump. However, they emphasized that the majority of Afrikaners intend to remain in South Africa and called on the US to provide financial aid for Afrikaner community development and infrastructure protection.
Additionally, they urged US officials to pressure the South African government to classify farm murders as a priority crime and to review legislation such as the Bela Act and Expropriation Act, which they claim disproportionately affect white South Africans.
The delegation to Washington included AfriForum CEO Kallie Kriel, Solidarity Chairperson Flip Buys, Dr. Dirk Hermann, and Jaco Kleynhans. Their memorandum, titled “Diplomatic Mission to the USA,” commended Trump’s past criticism of South African policies, arguing that these policies harm minorities and pose risks to US national security interests.
AfriForum and Solidarity further alleged that the ANC government blamed them for deteriorating SA-US diplomatic relations and even supported treason charges against them. They contended that South Africa benefits disproportionately from trade with the US and called for targeted sanctions against corrupt ANC leaders rather than broad economic measures that could hurt ordinary South Africans.
They also proposed that, if South Africa were excluded from the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), alternative agreements be established to protect farmers, manufacturers, and workers from economic harm. Instead of punishing the entire country, they recommended that the US impose punitive measures directly on ANC officials responsible for controversial policies.
