In a lengthy response posted on X, AfriForum's chief executive said the president was being disingenuous.

“President Ramaphosa’s accusations against AfriForum and Solidarity in Parliament are invalid, as he himself is responsible for the breach of trust that has occurred,” said Kriel.

“It was President Ramaphosa who signed the BELA Act – which targets Afrikaans schools and consequently threatens the survival of Afrikaans cultural communities. Did he really think we would meekly accept this act of aggression against us?”

Kriel added that leaders of the African National Congress have been unpatriotic.

“Under his leadership, ANC leaders have acted unpatriotically and disloyally toward the people of the country through mismanagement and corruption. He has also placed the country in the line of fire by, among other things, signing the Expropriation Act, which will drive away investors and lead to increasing poverty,” said Kriel.

“Furthermore, Ramaphosa is dishonest when he claims that local solutions could have been found for these disputes, as he blatantly ignored AfriForum’s letter to him in April 2024 regarding the dangers of the expropriation law.

“He also treated us with contempt by disregarding the BELA agreement made at Nedlac with Solidarity and falsely pretending that he had never given a mandate for negotiations,” he said.

Earlier this month, IOL reported that fresh calls were being made for the immediate arrest and prosecution of the right wing Afrikaner groups AfriForum and Solidarity Movement following their frequent trips to the US.

The uMkhonto weSizwe party led by former president Jacob Zuma, among other groups and individuals, has opened cases of treason against AfriForum, and are demanding that action be taken against the civic organisation.

IOL