Steve Hofmeyr Breaks Silence After AfriForum's R1.6 Billion Finances Come Under Scrutiny

• Steve Hofmeyr dismissed News24's investigation into AfriForum's finances on X, accusing the publication of acting as the ANC's mouthpiece
• News24 revealed AfriForum earned over R1.6 billion between 2019 and 2024 but spent only R2 out of every R10 on actual projects
• South Africans were divided by Hofmeyr's response, with some agreeing and others pointing out the story clearly rattled supporters

Steve Hofmeyr is not impressed with News24's deep dive into AfriForum's books. The veteran Afrikaner musician took to X on Tuesday, 28 July 2026, to fire back at the publication, branding its investigation a "big, fat nothing burger" and accusing it of functioning as "the ANC's own in-house Bell Pottinger."

See Hofmeyr's post that sparked the debate below:

What the News24 AfriForum Report Revealed

The report at the centre of the controversy draws on AfriForum's annual financial statements from 2019 to 2024. According to News24, the influential Afrikaner lobby group pulled in more than R1.6 billion from members and donors over that period. Of that amount, roughly 38% went towards salaries and employee-related costs, covering between 170 and 311 staff, totalling R589 million. A further R321 million was directed at promotion, advertising and membership recruitment.

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That puts spending on salaries and marketing alone at over R910 million. By contrast, direct project delivery costs amounted to R304 million over the same period. AfriForum's neighbourhood watch programme, one of its flagship offerings, received R13.4 million across the five-year window, working out to approximately R75 832 per watch over the period. The remuneration of directors, including CEO Kallie Kriel, was redacted from the documents seen by News24, though the publication established that some directors earned between R2 million and R3 million annually.

The report also noted a meaningful slowdown in new membership growth over the past two years, a period that coincided with AfriForum's vocal alignment with US President Donald Trump and his contested claims about South Africa.

Mzansi weighs in on Steve Hofmeyr's reaction

Hofmeyr's dismissal split opinion sharply online. Some backed his reading of the situation, while others felt his response proved the report had landed harder than he let on.

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@CotaChico32 was unimpressed by the deflection:

"Of course, blame everything on the ANC 😂😂😂"

@ConCaracal raised a separate concern:

"Did some people just forget that the Department of International Relations & Cooperation created a 'Situation Room' in 2025, that is tasked with conducting 'narrative setting campaigns'? Explains a lot of the obviously centrally coordinated 'narrative campaigns' we've seen lately."

@BlueNip sided with Hofmeyr:

"If they are not trashing the DA and Helen every day, the MSM are trashing Afriforum... a normal classic moderate voter can't win against the constant hit pieces. At least we all see through it. 🙄"

@Antifash72 kept it short:

"Then why are you all so triggered?"

@NotReallyBudFox drew laughter with a pointed jab:

"For a nothing burger it sure has rattled a few. Oh, Stevie Hofmyer hasn't been this concerned about payments"

Gareth Cliff defends AfriForum

Steve Hofmeyr isn't the only celebrity who weighed in on the report about AfriForum's finances.

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Briefly News reported that Gareth Cliff took to X to defend AfriForum after the report regarding its finances.

South Africans were divided over Cliff's defence, with some backing his stance and others questioning AfriForum's accountability.

Source: Briefly News