Lobby group AfriForum said on Monday that any investigation will confirm that there are no grounds for the “false allegations” of treason being made against AfriForum.

The uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP) opened a case of treason against the organisation in Cape Town on Monday, with the South African National Civic Organisation also announcing its intention to open a similar case against AfriForum, and other organisations, later this week.

The case comes after US President Donald Trump accused South Africa of "confiscating land" and "treating some classes of people very badly". Trump signed an executive order cutting financial assistance to South Africa, citing the Expropriation Act.

Trump has also offered Afrikaners the option to resettle in the US, under refugee status, which AfriForum has declined.

Many organisations and political parties are blaming AfrifForum for the tension created with the US.

AfriForum CEO Kallie Kriel said the treason charges against his organisation were “absurd” and would not cause sleepless nights.

“It is the duty of civil society and organisations such as AfriForum to shine a light on legislation and actions that threaten the welfare of citizens and the country. We cannot keep quiet about the injustice that is being committed at the expense of South Africa, its citizens, and the South African economy. False allegations that AfriForum has spread ‘misleading information’ about the Expropriation Act and that this is the reason for the USA’s action against South Africa are blatant lies,” said Kriel.

He said AfriForum had constantly put the facts of the Expropriation Act in the spotlight.

“…this was done in the interest of the country and its citizens to point out the dangers that the Act poses for private property rights and the risks that especially Section 12(3) of the Act poses,” emphasised Kriel.

Section 12(3) of the act provides for nil compensation in specific cases of land expropriation.

He pointed to what he termed the African National Congress’s “reckless and radical” domestic and foreign policies, saying these are the real reason for the unstable relations with the US and the US’s recent actions against South Africa.

“Their action against the interests of the citizens of the country is evident in, among other things, State capture and other corruption as already pointed out by the Zondo Commission and the failure of the criminal justice system to act accordingly against individuals who are responsible for State capture and other transgressions,” noted Kriel.

He explained that it was moreover hypocritical and ironic that it was MKP leader Jacob Zuma, who, in his time as President of the country, was responsible for State capture, was now the leader of the party bringing a charge of treason against AfriForum.

BREACH OF OATH OF OFFICE

Meanwhile, the Democratic Alliance (DA) said it would report MKP MP Andile Mngxitama to Parliament’s Ethics Committee for investigation, for breach of his oath of office to the Republic.

This after Mngxitama posted on social media that he agreed with Trump that “land thieves must leave SA” and go to the US.

“Our land shall be free of colonialists. Mabahambe!,” he posted on X, while also commenting on another post with the term “Plaas moord”.

DA national spokesperson Willie Aucamp said there was no place in democratic South Africa for hateful, and inciting words, particularly not from a person who has sworn an oath to uphold the Constitution.

The party called for South Africans to de-escalate the “rhetoric and divisive language” being used following Trump’s executive order against South Africa.

“When views and expression escalate to hate speech and calls for violence they must be condemned, and there must be accountability. No person in South Africa has the right to express themselves in a way that amounts to hate speech, which is harmful, promotes hatred, or incites harm,” said Aucamp.

He pointed out that rural safety must be a top priority for the South African Police Service (Saps), with farm murders receiving urgent attention.

The party had long called for a “dedicated, well-resourced” specialised unit to protect rural communities, with Aucamp saying it was time for the Saps to act decisively.