Patriotic Alliance leader Gayton McKenzie and AfriForum CEO Kallie Kriel. Picture: X/@kalliekriel
Patriotic Alliance (PA) leader Gayton McKenzie says he and AfriForum CEO Kallie Kriel have agreed that there is no white genocide in South Africa. The Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture also said he “loves” US president Donald Trump.
McKenzie and Kriel had what they called a “constructive discussion” on Monday about AfriForum and trade union Solidarity and their upcoming visit to the United States.
The meeting between McKenzie and Kriel comes after about 1 500 white South Africans, including a handful who had slept on the pavement, handed over a memorandum to the American Embassy in Pretoria on Saturday to thank Trump for his support.
Willem Petzer, who appeared to be the convener of the gathering, handed a 26-page memorandum which outlined the history of the Expropriation Act, farm murders as well as alleged racial laws against white South Africans to the US Embassy in Pretoria to cheers from the crowd.
During the discussion, McKenzie asked Kriel whether he believed there was a white genocide in South Africa.
“So you are saying there is not white genocide in South Africa?” McKenzie asked.
“No, we’ve never said that, but there is a serious problem,” Kriel replied.
However, McKenzie pushed Kriel for clarity.
“Of course there is a problem, people being killed on their farms is a problem, but you’re saying there’s no white genocide?” McKenzie asked Kriel again.
“Genocide is what we saw in Rwanda,” Kriel said.
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AfriForum emphasised that the interests of the ANC should not be confused with those of the country.
“The best way to serve the interests of South Africa, all its people, and Afrikaners, is to increase pressure on ANC leaders to abandon discriminatory policies and legislation, laws that threaten property rights, and a reckless foreign policy that puts South Africa in the crossfire.
“AfriForum’s position remains that ordinary people in the country should not be punished through the termination of AGOA and PEPFAR aid; rather, any measures taken by the US should be aimed at putting pressure on ANC leaders,” Kriel said.
Kriel said AfriForum, like McKenzie, wants to make South Africa a better place.
“We want to build this country… We extend a hand of friendship to all people. But it’s exactly because we are loyal that we don’t want this country to go the Zimbabwean route. We’ve seen in Zimbabwe it’s not just landowners that have suffered.”
Later in the discussion, McKenzie said he “loves” Trump.
“Let me tell you something off the bat. All my friends knew before all this thing (Trump’s criticism of SA), I love Donald Trump, I love that man. Everybody in the PA knows I love Donald Trump. Now, all of a sudden, I mustn’t love Donald Trump?
“I’ve loved Donald Trump since the days of his reality show. All my friends know that. I love my partner, but I differ with her. That doesn’t mean you can’t differ with people. If I differ with my partner, it doesn’t mean I stopped loving her,” McKenzie said.
ALSO READ: WATCH: White South Africans thank Donald Trump at US embassy for helping them
McKenzie said South Africa should be friends with all countries including the US, Russia and China and South Africa’s economic interests should be put first.
McKenzie followed up his discussion with a post on X.
“Thanks for the visit Kallie Kriel, we differed respectfully. I’m glad that we agreed that there is no genocide in SA. Leadership requires of us to listen to each other, particularly the ones we might dislike or disagree with strongly.”
Trump has halted funding to South Africa by signing an executive order against the country which alleges human rights issues in the country. He did it in response to the government’s land policy.
“South Africa is confiscating land and treating certain classes of people very badly,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.
“I will be cutting off all future funding to South Africa until a full investigation of this situation has been completed!”
Trump’s adviser Elon Musk — who was born and raised in South Africa — has also criticised South Africa’s government and claimed it has been anti-white for years, although some have questioned his motivations.
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