South African President Cyril Ramaphosa strongly criticized a recent visit by a lobby group representing the country’s white minority Afrikaner community to the White House, amidst escalating tensions with the Trump administration. The lobby group AfriForum and its affiliates had sent a small delegation to Washington to meet with White House officials following President Donald Trump’s executive order halting aid to South Africa over alleged human rights violations against the white minority group. Trump’s claims about land seizures from white farmers and criticism of South Africa’s genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice have been disputed.
Ramaphosa emphasized the importance of resolving the impasse with the U.S. administration through diplomatic channels rather than seeking external solutions. He condemned the lobby group’s actions as divisive and contrary to the nation-building process, reaffirming South Africa’s sovereignty. The group’s efforts to engage with high-level officials in the U.S. were seen as controversial and sparked criticism from political parties within South Africa.
AfriForum CEO Kallie Kriel defended the group’s actions, accusing President Ramaphosa of perpetuating division and neglecting the concerns of Afrikaners. The group expressed concerns about the impact of the executive orders on their community and ordinary South Africans to U.S. officials. The situation has intensified diplomatic tensions between South Africa and the Trump administration.
The party of Mr. Zuma, Umkhonto Wesizwe, has also lodged a treason complaint against AfriForum, alleging that the organization is disseminating false information in an attempt to sway Trump.
