AfriForum, Solidarity Hold Talks With US Ambassador Over Strained Washington-Pretoria Relations

• AfriForum CEO Kallie Kriel confirmed that they had met with the United States Ambassador at the American Embassy
• AfriForum and Solidarity submitted proposals aimed at easing strained tensions between Washington and Pretoria
• Tensions have been strained between the US and South Africa following claims made by President Donald Trump

Byron Pillay, a Briefly News journalist, has dedicated a decade to reporting on the South African political landscape, crime, and social issues. He worked as a newspaper journalist for 10 years before transitioning to online.

GAUTENG - AfriForum and the Solidarity Movement have formally presented proposals to the United States Ambassador aimed at resolving the diplomatic dispute between Washington and Pretoria.

Tensions have been strained between the US and South Africa following continued claims by Donald Trump that terrible things were happening in the country. The US President claimed that Afrikaners were being persecuted in the country, saying that they were being killed and their lands taken.

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The Trump administration sought to impose tariffs upon the country, but AfriForum and Solidarity previously asked that African National Congress (ANC) leaders be targeted, and not the whole country.

AfriForum's Kallie Kriel confirms US Embassy visit

Taking to X, AfriForum Chief Executive Officer, Kallie Kriel, stated that several organisations personally delivered their proposals during a meeting at the US Embassy and held direct discussions with the Ambassador.

AfriForum and Solidarity were joined by the Southern African Agri Initiative, National Employers' Association of South Africa, and the Freedom Front Plus at the meeting with the US Embassy.

Kriel said the proposals were designed to promote progress that benefits all South Africans while ensuring that specific concerns receive adequate attention. These include threats to property rights, rural safety, and issues that disproportionately affect Afrikaners and other minority groups.

"Our proposals will promote progress that benefits everyone in South Africa," he said.

He emphasised that sweeping sanctions against South Africa would damage the interests of all citizens in the country, not only those directly involved in the political dispute. The organisations framed their involvement as an effort to find solutions that serve the interests of all parties rather than escalate tensions further.

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Kriel declined to disclose specific details of the discussions, citing the sensitivity of the ongoing diplomatic process.

Months of engagement with both governments

According to Kriel, the July 2026 meeting follows several months during which the organisations provided input to both the South African and American governments. The two groups also travelled to Washington previously in an effort to prevent broad economic measures from being imposed on South Africa.

The US-SA relationship has been under significant strain due to South Africa's foreign policy positions, including military exercises conducted alongside Russia and China, the country's ICJ case against Israel, and domestic legislation such as the Expropriation Act, which Washington has characterised as a threat to property rights.

AfriForum and Solidarity have been active in lobbying the Trump administration since 2025, presenting what became known as the Washington Memorandum, which called for cultural protections and assistance for Afrikaners. South Africa's exclusion from the 2026 G20 by the United States has added further pressure to bilateral relations, with ongoing reviews of trade arrangements and potential sanctions still under consideration.

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ANC and AfriForum meet

Briefly News reported that delegates from AfriForum and the African National Congress met in May 2025 to discuss tensions between the two sides.

The two sides have been at loggerheads since AfriForum approached US President Donald Trump about South Africa.

Some South Africans took to social media to welcome the meeting, while others were not sure it would solve anything.

Source: Briefly News