Cape Town – AfriForum is reportedly seeking to mend ties with the ANC after previously urging the US to sanction ANC leaders and spreading misinformation about white people being targeted in South Africa.
These claims led to diplomatic tensions, US tariffs, and cuts in aid.
According to IOL, AfriForum and its allies met with the ANC, in a PAC-facilitated meeting, to discuss issues of national interest.
Both sides described the talks as frank and agreed to seek “South African solutions” for unity.
“We all realised there’s a need to find solutions to these issues raised, but of course, we will communicate in due course as the process comes to a point that we have reached something,” the report quoted AfriForum CEO Kallie Kriel as saying.
Ramaphosa and Trump
“We actually agreed because this is early in the start of the process that the various parties would not comment at this stage any further than what is in the statement.”
The discussions come amid concerns about losing US trade benefits under AGOA, with President Ramaphosa planning to meet Donald Trump to address the rift.
Ramaphosa said on Thursday that he had spoken to Trump about the conflict in Ukraine and they planned to meet “soon”.
“I spoke to President Donald Trump to discuss the peace process in Ukraine,” Ramaphosa said on social media.
I spoke to President @realDonaldTrump to discuss the peace process in Ukraine. We both agreed that the war should be brought to an end as soon as possible to stop further unnecessary deaths.
We both agreed to meet soon to address various matters regarding US-South Africa… pic.twitter.com/rEdwE6Y2XP
— Cyril Ramaphosa 🇿🇦 (@CyrilRamaphosa) April 24, 2025
The leaders had “agreed that the war should be brought to an end as soon as possible to stop further unnecessary deaths,” he said.
“We both agreed to meet soon to address various matters regarding US-South Africa relations.”
Ties between Pretoria and Washington took a nosedive after Trump came to power this year.
He has criticised various South African domestic and international policies, including Pretoria’s case at the International Court of Justice on Israel’s war in Gaza.
The tensions culminated in the expulsion of Pretoria’s ambassador last month.
Trump has also cut financial aid over what he alleged was an anti-white land policy and offered refugee settlement to the white Afrikaner minority that he has claimed is being persecuted.
In his social media post, Ramaphosa said he and Trump had agreed on “the need to foster good relations between our two countries.”
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
