Cape Town – AfriForum chief executive Kallie Kriel has rejected accusations that his organisation ever claimed there is a “white genocide” in South Africa, saying the ANC is using AfriForum as a scapegoat to deflect blame for the country’s diplomatic and social tensions.
Speaking to Newzroom Afrika, Kriel said: “We never said there is a white genocide in South Africa — that’s another lie from the ANC. We have been clear on this many times.”
He explained that the lobby group has consistently condemned violence in farming communities but has never framed it as genocide.
“We did say the chant ‘Kill the Boer, Kill the farmer’ is a genocidal call, but we never said a genocide is taking place,” Kriel added. “What we ask for is for government and the president to condemn that chant and declare it a priority crime.”
Kriel said AfriForum had taken several media houses to the Press Ombud for misrepresenting its stance. “Those media institutions that accused us of saying there’s a white genocide — we took them to the Ombud, and already five had to apologise,” he stated.
He accused the ANC of political opportunism in linking AfriForum to rising tensions between South Africa and the United States following reports of alleged farm murders being discussed in American conservative circles.
Here is an interview I did with @Newzroom405 this morning regarding President Trump, the G20, and @afriforum:
“We never said there is genocide,” AfriForum CEO Kallie Kriel said in an interview. He said Afriforum will continue to fight expropriation without compensation because… pic.twitter.com/dBXgXTSkre— Kallie Kriel (@kalliekriel) November 9, 2025
“They don’t want to take responsibility for the consequences of their own negative behaviour. Now they need a scapegoat,” he said. “We did not go to Iran, we did not sign the Expropriation Act — it’s the irresponsible behaviour of ANC leaders.”
The Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) issued a media statement on 8 November 2025 noting a post by Donald Trump on Truth Social, which characterised Afrikaners as an exclusively white group and claimed they faced persecution.
DIRCO stated, “The characterisation of Afrikaners as an exclusively white group is ahistorical. Furthermore, the claim that this community faces persecution, is not substantiated by fact.”
DIRCO reaffirmed that South Africa’s position “remains consistent with our previous statements” about farm crime and human rights, and emphasized its focus on global solidarity ahead of the G20 summit.
The South African Government wishes to state, for the record, that the characterisation of Afrikaners as an exclusively white group is ahistorical. Furthermore, the claim that this community faces persecution, is not substantiated by fact. Read more: https://t.co/8xvWIt7k5e…
— South African Government (@GovernmentZA) November 10, 2025
Kriel insists AfriForum’s mission is about safeguarding minority rights and fighting violence, but not invoking the term genocide. “We are not against transformation,” he concluded.
“We are against hate. The ANC must stop shifting blame, and start addressing the real issues affecting people on the ground.”
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Compiled by Lisabeal Nqamqhele
