We ‘played a role’ in Trump’s tweet, says AfriForum’s Roets

AfriForum CEO Ernst Roets told the Sunday Times that he believes his organisation has influenced US Donald Trump to take an interest in the land situation South Africa.

“I believe our trip played a role,” he said.

Trump recently made news after a tweet in which he stated he’d told his Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to monitor the situation in South Africa due to what he described as “land and farm seizures… and the large-scale killing of farmers”.

I have asked Secretary of State @SecPompeo to closely study the South Africa land and farm seizures and expropriations and the large scale killing of farmers. “South African Government is now seizing land from white farmers.” @TuckerCarlson @FoxNews

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 23, 2018

Asked how he feels about Trump’s recent tweet, Roets said: “We welcome it. We think it’s great news.”

Roets and fellow AfriForum leader took a trip to the US earlier this year with the intention of lobbying the government to involve itself in the situation regarding land in SA as well as what the organisation appears to believe is an organised effort to kill white farmers.

READ MORE: Trump is personally watching SA on land issue

Asked if he is concerned that Trump’s newfound interest in our land situation will lead to sanctions, Ernst said yes, but added: “But don’t blame the messenger.”

Ernst also said, when asked if he told those he spoke to in the US that we are a Constitutional Democracy, that he has “serious doubts” that this is the case based on some judgements made at SA’s top court.

The AfriForum lobbying tour, which saw them visit both the UK and the US, was criticised by voices including that of president Cyril Ramaphosa.

Ramaphosa accused the organisation of truing to mobilise the international community against “their own country,” and suggested that they should “come back home for inclusive dialogue.”

Kriel denied, this, saying: “To portray AfriForum’s international campaign as a campaign against South Africa is false. The opposite is in fact true: the aim of our campaign is to protect South Africa against the violation of property rights.

“It is directed at preventing the ANC from destroying the economy by means of ill-considered policies, at the expense of everyone in the country,” Kriel continued.

For more news your way, download The Citizen’s app for iOS and Android