Flip Buys, chairperson of the Solidarity Movement (right), seated with AfriForum CEO Kallie Kriel, says both organisations reject the ANC's allegations that they caused all the trouble in the US.
Image: File
The Solidarity Movement and AfriForum have rejected the ongoing allegations from the African National Congress (ANC), accusing them of spreading misinformation abroad.
This comes after President Cyril Ramaphosa said he was concerned and disappointed with AfriForum and Solidarity, with both organisations having sent representatives to meet with United States government officials.
“I regard that as being non-patriotic because when you are a patriot of a country, the best you do is resolve problems or issues you have in country rather than beginning to damage the sovereignty of your country by running to other countries and expecting them to take action against your own country,” Ramaphosa said when responding to oral questions in the National Assembly.
He blamed AfriForum and trade union Solidarity, saying what they had done had instigated the actions now being taken against the people of South Africa.
Ramaphosa's response came shortly after US President Donald Trump signed executive orders to terminate the President’s Emergency Plan for Aid Relief (Pepfar).
The two organisations argue that these claims are nothing but disinformation, aimed at deflecting attention away from the ANC’s own failures, particularly regarding the diplomatic crisis with the United States.
''The time has come for the ANC to accept responsibility for the diplomatic crisis with the US the country has been plunged into due to the party’s reckless policies,'' said Solidarity Movement chairperson Flip Buys.
Buys also emphasised that the ANC must stop blaming Solidarity and AfriForum for this situation.
The concerns centre around South Africa’s position in the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA).
Buys said Solidarity and AfriForum have worked for years to persuade the US to retain South Africa as an AGOA beneficiary, but they argue these efforts have been undermined by the ANC’s policies.
Buys pointed out, “Should the US kick South Africa out of the AGOA agreement, the blame must be laid squarely at the door of the Ramaphosa government.”
Buys addressed a critical issue, saying that the lobby group had never accused South Africa of genocide or called for sanctions.
“We want to make it clear that we have never made allegations of a ‘genocide’ of white people in South Africa,” he said.
Furthermore, he clarified that they have never sought sanctions against South Africa or requested that US funds be cut off. Instead, Solidarity has consistently urged the US to refrain from removing South Africa from the AGOA agreement, stressing that it would lead to job losses for many South Africans.
“We have explicitly asked that South Africa not be kicked out of AGOA because it would cost thousands of South Africans their jobs,” he said.
Buys reiterated that their actions have always been focused on protecting the wellbeing of South Africans, even if they disagree with the ANC’s policies.
Last year, Buys said Solidarity movement was involved in a declaration supported by around two million Afrikaners, where they reaffirmed their commitment to the country while raising concerns about the conditions needed for their community to continue contributing to South Africa.
“The ANC ignored these constructive suggestions,” he said, highlighting their frustration with the government’s lack of response.
Buys also rejected the ANC’s stance that problems should be solved within South Africa without external involvement.
They pointed to the ANC’s handling of the BELA negotiations, particularly regarding Afrikaans education, as evidence that the party is not committed to finding solutions in good faith.
“The ANC has clearly demonstrated with the BELA negotiations that they are not prepared to respect the constitutional provision for Afrikaans education,” Solidarity noted.
The Solidarity Movement made it clear that they will continue to stand up for their rights and the rights of others, regardless of the ANC’s actions.
“We do not ask anyone’s permission to defend our fundamental human rights and legitimate interests because the ANC has proven time and again that these rights and interests cannot be entrusted to them,” he said.
Solidarity and AfriForum remain committed to addressing issues in a factual and balanced way, criticising the ANC for mismanagement, corruption, and the growing unemployment crisis in South Africa.
They emphasised that their efforts are not about causing harm to the country but about protecting the rights and interests of South Africans.
hope.ntanzi@iol.co.za
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