A growing chorus of organisations has come out to condemn AfriForum’s lobbying of US President Donald Trump over South Africa’s land expropriation bill.
The controversy erupted after Trump announced that he would be cutting off aid to South Africa pending an investigation into the alleged confiscation of land from white farmers.
Trump has already announced that he would be suspending the US President’s global Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) program.
AfriForum has since claimed that the newly signed Expropriation Act seeks to take land by force from white owners, sparking criticism of SA by the US government.
Save South Africa, a civil society organisation, has been scathing in its criticism of AfriForum, accusing the lobby group of putting the lives of those living with HIV/AIDS at risk.
“The irresponsible statement by AfriForum has already put the lives of those living with HIV/AIDS in danger because the decision by Donald Trump to cut aid to our country happened very fast and no one saw it coming,” said Save SA spokesperson Tebogo Mashilompane.
The ANC has also weighed in on the matter, with Deputy Secretary General Nomvula Mokonyane condemning AfriForum’s “misinformation campaign.”
“President Trump’s recent tweet, echoing AfriForum’s false claims of ‘land confiscation,’ is a direct result of the lobby group’s ongoing efforts to mislead the global community and protect apartheid-era land ownership patterns,” said Mokonyane.
Action SA President Herman Mashaba has also expressed concern over AfriForum’s remarks saying they were bordering on being treasonous and legal action should be considered.
“There can be no disputing the fact that the failures of the SA government are well documented and manifest in much human suffering in our country.
“However, the political change that must address these challenges must come from within our country, from SA who determine their own future,” said Mashaba.
Other organisations have echoed the criticism of AfriForum, with many, like the EFF, accusing the lobby group of undermining SA’s sovereignty and democratic processes.
In response to the criticism, AfriForum’s leader, Kallie Kriel, defended the organisation’s actions, saying that they are entitled to lobby the US government on issues affecting their constituency.
Legal expert Advocate Francois Botes said there was no factual evidence that AfriForum or any other civil organisation caused the withdrawal of funds by Trump.
“The decision to preserve the funds was taken by President Trump after he consulted with his constituency and the party that he belongs to…It’s not a decision that is being made light-heartedly.
“It was properly considered and was properly investigated by President Trump and his party before such a decision was made.
“Litigation in this regard against parties or civil organisations in SA will be frivolous as there are no primary facts which indicate or support any crime in terms of which either the SA government or the NGOs dealing with the AIDS initiatives have suffered any damages as a result of the withholding of funds from president Trump.
“Any such action for damages at this stage will be premature. It can be conceived as fundamentally ill-founded and bad in law…More research and thorough investigation should be conducted so as to determine the true reason why President Trump adopted this decision and instead of reverting to a court of law and resolving the issue in litigation.
Botes said these organisations under the leadership of the SA government should enter into meaningful and conducive negotiations with the Trump administration “so as to create a conducive platform” in terms of which the parties can create communication between them.