Lobby groups to hold briefing over Trump’s SA orders
The Solidarity Movement, AfriForum, and Solidarity will hold a media conference this afternoon over the American president, Donald Trump's executive order about the position of Afrikaners in South Africa as well as funding to South Africa.
This comes as Trump signed an executive order freezing US aid to South Africa, citing the newly signed Expropriation Act, that he alleges allows land to be seized from white farmers.
Many have pointed to AfriForum’s international campaign against the Expropriation Act and farm murders as a contributing factor to Trump’s stance.
However, the lobby group’s CEO, Kallie Kriell said South Africans cannot blame the organisation for Trump’s actions.
“To say AfriForum has spread misinformation, and now this is why the US is angry is ludicrous. AfriForum is not to blame. I state it again, the ANC is to blame, Ramaphosa, the ANC and its leadership.
“The comments we made in regard to the Expropriation Act, it doesn’t make sweeping statements that there is now large-scale expropriation going on at the moment. We said we are worried about Section 12(3) of the Act, which says ‘expropriate without compensation’. Nothing about that is misinformation.
“When the section speaks about when expropriation can happen, it just gives four reasons. The examples are including but do not exclude anything else. It is open-ended.”
Meanwhile, former international relations minister Naledi Pandor said she was disappointed over the criticism against South African in the last week.
“The has been a lot of misinformation about our country, and we need to provide information as to the factual position on all the matters that have been raised.
“I don’t think we should allow things to bubble and develop false feet.”
At the same, Democratic Alliance leader John Steenhuisen reiterated calls for South Africa to engage the Trump administration.
While he is Agriculture Minister under the government of national unity, Steenhuisen was in the Free State in his capacity as DA leader.
He said the latest move by Washington threatens the livelihoods of farmers, farmworkers, and those who rely on the manufacturing sector for employment.
“I am disappointed that that there have been big decisions like this made; that impact manufacturing jobs and agriculture jobs particularly; without continued engagement with our government. I think it just underlines the call I made to the president for us to send a delegation to Wahington to get the facts on the table as quickly as possible.”
The Department of International relations issued a statement on Saturday, saying it noted with concern the orders by the US President.
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