AfriForum’s lobbying of US President Donald Trump about South Africa’s land expropriation bill has drawn criticism from an increasing number of organizations.
Trump’s announcement that he would stop providing help to South Africa while an investigation into the purported seizure of land from white farmers was underway sparked the debate.
Trump has already declared his intention to halt the US President’s worldwide Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) initiative.
Since then, AfriForum has asserted that the recently approved Expropriation Act aims to forcibly seize land from white owners, leading the US government to criticize South Africa.
A civil society organization called Save South Africa has been harsh in its condemnation of AfriForum, claiming that the lobby group is endangering the lives of people with HIV/AIDS.
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Tebogo Mashilompane, a spokeswoman for Save SA, said, “The reckless statement by AfriForum has already put the lives of those living with HIV/AIDS in danger because Donald Trump’s decision to cut aid to our country happened very fast and no one saw it coming.”
Deputy Secretary General Nomvula Mokonyane of the ANC has also voiced their opinion, denouncing AfriForum’s “misinformation campaign.”
“AfriForum’s persistent attempts to deceive the international community and uphold land ownership patterns from the apartheid era are directly responsible for President Trump’s recent tweet, which echoes the lobby group’s untrue allegations of “land confiscation,” said Mokonyane.
Herman Mashaba, president of Action SA, has also voiced his alarm about AfriForum’s comments, claiming that they were on the verge of being treasonous and that legal action need to be taken.
“There is no denying that the South African government’s shortcomings are widely known and have resulted in a great deal of misery for people in our nation.
“But the political transformation that needs to tackle these issues needs to originate from within our nation, from South Africa, who decide their own destiny,” Mashaba stated.
AfriForum’s criticism has been mirrored by other organizations, with several, including the EFF, accusing the lobby group of undermining democratic processes and South Africa’s sovereignty.
Kallie Kriel, the leader of AfriForum, responded to the criticism by defending the group’s activities and asserting that they have the right to petition the US government on matters that impact their constituency.
According to legal expert Advocate Francois Botes, there is no concrete proof that Trump withdrew funds because of AfriForum or any other civic organization.
“President Trump decided to protect the funding after consulting with his party and his constituents.There is seriousness involved in this decision.
Before making such a judgment, President Trump and his team thoroughly examined and evaluated the matter.
“Since there are no main facts that point to or support any crime in which the SA government or the NGOs working on AIDS initiatives have suffered any harm as a result of the withholding of funds from President Trump, litigation in this regard against parties or civil organizations in South Africa will be pointless.”
It would be premature to pursue such a damages claim at this point. It can be thought of as essentially unfounded and illegal.Instead of going back to a court of law and settling the matter through litigation, more research and a more thorough inquiry should be carried out to ascertain the real reason why President Trump made this choice.
According to Botes, the SA government should lead these organizations in substantive and constructive talks with the Trump administration “so as to create a conducive platform” that would allow the parties to communicate with one another.
