AfriForum and Solidarity Seek US Funding for Afrikaner Settlement Amid Land Expropriation Dispute

Image credits: @solidariteit/X formerly Twitter

AfriForum and Solidarity, two organizations representing the interests of Afrikaners in South Africa, have met with the Trump administration to discuss the possibility of US funding for an Afrikaner settlement in the country. The meeting comes amid an ongoing dispute over land expropriation in South Africa, with AfriForum and Solidarity claiming that the government's policies are discriminatory and threaten the rights of minority groups. The organizations have asked the US to provide financial support for the establishment of a separate Afrikaner settlement, citing concerns over the safety and well-being of Afrikaners in South Africa.

The dispute over land expropriation in South Africa has been ongoing for several years, with the government seeking to redistribute land from white farmers to black South Africans as part of a broader effort to address historical injustices and promote economic equality. However, AfriForum and Solidarity have argued that the government's policies are unfair and discriminatory, and that they threaten the livelihoods of Afrikaners who have lived in South Africa for generations. The organizations have also claimed that the government's policies are contributing to an increase in violent crime, including farm murders, which they say are disproportionately affecting Afrikaners.

Despite these claims, statistics suggest that farm murders are not as prevalent as AfriForum and Solidarity have suggested. According to recent crime statistics, only 12 farm murders were recorded in the third quarter of the 2024/25 financial year, out of a total of 6,953 reported murders. Additionally, the Expropriation Act, which governs the process of land expropriation in South Africa, includes provisions to protect the rights of property owners and ensure that expropriation is carried out in a fair and transparent manner. The Act states that an expropriating authority may not expropriate property arbitrarily or for a purpose other than a public purpose or in the public interest, and that expropriation may not be exercised unless the expropriating authority has without success attempted to reach an agreement with the owner or holder of a right in property for the acquisition thereof on reasonable terms.

AfriForum and Solidarity have also called on the US to mount pressure on the South African government to declare farmer murders a priority crime and to take action against those who are calling for violence against Afrikaners. The organizations have recommended that the US provide aid to an Afrikaner development fund to assist with community infrastructure and protect Afrikaners. They have also called for the US to extend the African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa), which provides preferential trade benefits to certain African countries, including South Africa. Some of the key points presented by AfriForum and Solidarity to the Trump administration include: * The need for sustained pressure on the South African government to address the concerns of Afrikaners and other minority groups * The importance of protecting the rights of property owners and ensuring that land expropriation is carried out in a fair and transparent manner * The need for the US to provide financial support for the establishment of a separate Afrikaner settlement * The importance of promoting economic equality and addressing historical injustices in South Africa * The need for the US to extend the African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa) and provide alternative trade benefits to South Africa.

The meeting between AfriForum, Solidarity, and the Trump administration has been widely criticized by the South African government and other organizations, who have accused the two groups of seeking to undermine the country's sovereignty and promote a separatist agenda. The South African government has also accused AfriForum and Solidarity of spreading misinformation and exaggerating the extent of farm murders and other violent crimes in the country. Despite these criticisms, AfriForum and Solidarity have vowed to continue their campaign to protect the rights of Afrikaners and promote their interests in South Africa and internationally.