Lobby Groups Didn't Go To US To 'Shop', But To Gossip About SA'

AfriForum and trade union Solidarity went to the United States to "gossip about their own country," President Cyril Ramaphosa's national security advisor Dr Sydney Mufamadi says.

- Faizel Patel

The Afrikaner lobby groups met officials from President Donald Trump's administration to request they put pressure on the South African government and to ask for humanitarian assistance for Afrikaner development.

Their visit has raised eyebrows, with the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) confirming that it is investigating four case dockets of high treason linked to claims of a white genocide against farmers in the country.

While Hawks boss Lieutenant-General Godfrey Lebeya did not disclose the names of the organisations being investigated, it is believed they include Solidarity and AfriForum.

This follows uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party laying criminal charges of treason against AfriForum, accusing the lobby group of economic sabotage.

Asked if South Africa's democratisation and nation-building project is being put "at risk" by AfriForum and Solidarity's visits to Washington, Mufamadi said the organisations did not go to the US for "shopping."