WATCH: Afriforum ‘driven by the hope that apartheid will come back’- Mantashe

Mineral and Petroleum Resources Minister Gwede Mantashe has slammed AfriForum for turning to the United States and President Donald Trump to put pressure on the democratic South African government and to provide humanitarian assistance for Afrikaner development.

Mantashe made the remarks during Tuesday’s plenary session of the National Assembly.

Treason

On Monday, the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI), also known as the Hawks, confirmed that it is investigating four case dockets of high treason linked to claims of a white genocide against farmers in the country.

While Hawks boss General Godfrey Lebeya did not disclose the names of the organisations being investigated for high treason, it is believed they include Afrikaner lobby groups Solidarity and AfriForum.

This follows the recent criminal charges of treason laid by the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party against AfriForum, accusing the lobby group of economic sabotage.

Watch the video of Mantashe making the remarks

Apartheid

Mantashe claims that AfriForum wants apartheid to return in South Africa.

“AfriForum is an anti-transformation programme, driven by the hope that apartheid will come back. It’s a mirage, and that mirage must be confronted by all South Africans, irrespective of colour, because it is going to hurt the country before we recover.

ALSO READ: WATCH: AfriForum ‘not having sleepless nights’ over allegations of high treason

“It is not an attack on the ANC or Ramaphosa as they announced; it is an attack on the country, and everybody must be concerned; we must mobilise our people to confront right-wing mobilisation that is emerging in the country,” Manstashe said.   

Afriforum have not yet responded to The Citizen‘s request for comment on Mantashe’s claims. Any update will be included once received.

‘Treasonous behaviour’

Police Minister Senzo Mchunu told the National Assembly that police are taking the treason investigations into lobby group AfriForum “very seriously”.

During Tuesday’s plenary session of the National Assembly, ANC MP Nomasonto Motaung said AfriForum and Solidarity’s actions “essentially can be termed treasonous behaviour.”

“Recently, we had all witnessed what essentially can be termed ‘treasonous behaviour’ by the likes of AfriForum and Solidarity, who have spread misinformation of ‘white genocide’ and are lobbying the President of the United States for the interests of the whiter Afrikaner.”

Motaung said both organisations incorrectly believe that laws seeking redress the “untold discrimination against the black majority, such as the Expropriation Act, aim to indiscriminately confiscate their land”.

“Laws and policies that aim to level the playing field cannot be seen as an oppression considering centuries of systematic exploitation of black people in every phase of their lives through segregation practices.”

[WATCH] Member’s Statements in the NA, 4 March 2025

Statement by Cde Nomasonto Motaung

Recently, we had all witnessed what essentially can be termed “treasonous behaviour” by the likes of AfriForum and Solidarity, who have spread misinformation of “white genocide” and are… pic.twitter.com/BqIXMrK1Cu

— ANC Parliament (@ANCParliament) March 4, 2025

Investigations

Mchunu welcomed this statement and confirmed that four dockets had been opened on the matter and that the cases were being handled by the unit for crimes against the state.

“They are being taken very seriously. The investigations are at an initial stage and being investigated with the collaboration of the NPA.

“Once they have made a decision whether to prosecute or not, we will then inform you,” Mchunu said.

ALSO READ: WATCH: ‘High treason charges ridiculous and baseless,’ says Solidarity

Turning to Trump

AfriForum and Solidarity presented the allegations to US President Donald Trump’s administration, handing over the “Washington Memorandum” asking the United States to provide humanitarian assistance for Afrikaner development.

The groups urged Trump to continue applying pressure on the government.

AfriForum CEO Kallie Kriel, who is still in the US for the organisation’s tour to meet conservative politicians and role-players, said they were not perturbed by complaints of high treason against the organisation as the allegations are “baseless”.

“I will not be having any sleepless nights over this as these complaints are baseless. If the state, however, goes ahead with this, it will make us stronger. It would confirm the point that there are ANC leaders who are abusing their power to govern against certain sections of the population.

“It’s also ludicrous because we have many ANC leaders implicated of corruption at the Zondo Commission, and the Hawks are not acting against them,” Kriel said.

‘No sleepless nights’

Trade union Solidarity believes the claims of high treason charges against the organisation “do not make any sense within the context of the law.”

Solidarity CEO Dirk Hermann said the high treason charges are “ridiculous and have no basis and have no sleepless nights over it.”

“It is a low blow when a group (political party) without any political argument runs to a police station and lay charges of high treason.

“But what is even more worrying is the Hawks who are actually going to investigate, while they know there are no grounds, this is a low point for democracy in South Africa,” Hermann said.

ALSO READ: AfriForum hits back at Ramaphosa’s sowing divisions remarks: ‘We will not be deterred’

‘Sowing divisions’

Last week, President Cyril Ramaphosa slammed AfriForum and Solidarity’s visit to Washington amid the ongoing tension between South Africa and the US.

“What they are doing has spawned divisions in our nation, and that is not a nation-building process — running around the world trying to have your problems solved.

“You are just sowing divisions because now a number of South Africans then start looking at others negatively, and I don’t think that is the right way to handle our problems,“ Ramaphosa told journalists after speaking at an education lekgotla in Boksburg, Gauteng, on Thursday.

Funding crisis

However, Kriel defended the visit, asserting that the organisations’ trip was driven by frustrations with the South African government’s refusal to address their concerns.

Last month, Trump halted funding to South Africa by signing an executive order against the country, alleging human rights issues in response to the government’s land policy.

Trump’s advisor, Elon Musk, who was born and raised in South Africa, has also criticised the South African government and claimed it has been anti-white for years, although some have questioned his motivations.

ALSO READ: AfriForum, Solidarity meet with top Trump officials [VIDEO]