‘Who are they to tell the ANC?' - FF Plus slammed over US demands on SA policies

IOL News

2 days ago

Freedom Front Plus delegation in Washington following controversy over US demands on farm attacks, land reform, and ANC policy positions.
Image: Facebook/FFPlus
'Who are they to tell the ANC what to do?' That's the question raised by political analyst Dr Levy Ndou over claims by the FF Plus that Donald Trump's administration set conditions for better US–South Africa relations, including the ANC's condemnation of the "Kill the Boer" chant.
This comes after the Freedom Front Plus (FF Plus) made its second visit to the White House, reportedly meeting with senior US officials from the Office of the Vice President, the National Security Council, and the Homeland Security Council.
Three months ago, the FF Plus also supported a visit by AfriForum and Solidarity to the US, during which they urged the Trump administration to pressure the South African government to reverse certain policies, especially on land reform and education.
The latest meeting came shortly after President Cyril Ramaphosa led a high-level delegation to the US to repair bilateral ties.
In a joint statement issued on Thursday, the FF Plus said a senior delegation of Afrikaner leaders held a "constructive and high-level meeting" in Washington, DC, with Trump-era officials.
According to party spokesperson Pieter de Necker, US representatives conveyed what they claimed were official pre-conditions for restoring normalized relations between the two nations.
These alleged pre-conditions include:
- Classification of farm attacks as priority crimes. US officials allegedly noted that farm attacks are not investigated with the same urgency as rhino poaching or cash-in-transit heists, and each attack should be handled by the Hawks.
- Public condemnation of 'Kill the Boer.' A clear and unequivocal statement by the ANC denouncing the chant, whether sung or spoken, is required.
- No land expropriation without compensation. The US insisted that expropriation should follow legal processes and include fair market compensation.
- Exemption from BEE policies. The US requested that Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) laws and other race-based legislation not apply to US entities, as they may constitute non-tariff trade barriers.
Meanwhile, De Necker said the Afrikaner delegation, led by FF Plus leader Dr Corné Mulder, Southern African Agri Initiative (SAAI) chair Dr Theo de Jager, and National Employers' Association of South Africa (NEASA) CEO Gerhard Papenfus, agreed to relay the conditions to the South African government and public.
"The delegation now has a clear understanding of the USA administration's expectations," he said.
He also claimed that US officials expressed concern that the South African government had failed to respond adequately to these repeated messages.
During a meeting between Trump and Ramaphosa last month, Trump played video clips of Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema chanting "Kill the Boer."
However, responded by saying the footage was taken out of context and misused to promote a misleading narrative.
Tensions between the two countries have deteriorated during Trump's second term, particularly after he denounced South Africa's land reform as a 'seizure' of white-owned farms - a claim denied by the South African government.
Speaking with IOL News regarding the FF Plus visit, Dr. Ndou criticised the approach, saying it undermines diplomatic norms.
'A government cannot continually meet with only certain groups. That's not how diplomacy works,' he said.
Ndou said the US should also engage with black-led parties like the EFF to maintain balance and credibility.
'Who is the FF Plus to dictate to the ANC? Why didn't the US invite the EFF? If the US chooses who to talk to, it risks deepening racial divides,' he told IOL News
Asked whether the FF Plus was promoting its own agenda rather than representing national interests, Ndou said, 'FF Plus is accepted in the US because it is a white party. Their actions, supported by groups like AfriForum, risk causing serious division in South Africa.'
He expressed doubt that Ronald Lamola, the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, was even notified of the FF Plus delegation's trip.
'The US is not assisting South Africa. Their actions are destructive. They're not promoting unity but division,' he said.
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