News24 | Solidarity begins ‘extensive’ US lobby visit after Ramaphosa ignores group

Solidarity Movement head of international relations Jaco Kleynhans, CEO Dr Dirk Hermann and chairperson Flip Buys, as well as AfriForum CEO Kallie Kriel.

• The Solidarity Movement is headed to the US on a lobby mission.
• The lobby group says it’s conducting “community diplomacy”.
• The group has complained that President Cyril Ramaphosa has ignored its attempts to help resolve matters with the US.

The Solidarity Movement has kicked off its “extensive” visit to the United States – a move that will likely achieve the opposite of what Pretoria seeks to gain in the administration’s own upcoming visit.

The lobby group’s latest foray to the US comes days before President Cyril Ramaphosa meets US Congress leaders and industry titans on the sidelines of a United Nations event.

The Afrikaner lobby group – which comprises 50 constituent bodies, including AfriForum – announced on Thursday that it would visit several state and federal role-players in the US in the coming weeks.

The purpose of the visit is to “advocate for the country, the economy and the people who are working”, according to the group.

Solidarity Movement chairperson Flip Buys said it was advancing “community diplomacy”.

The lobby group said the “government and the ANC are complicit” in the poor diplomatic relations between South Africa and the US and “can no longer be trusted to handle it alone”.

The lobby group, which views itself as an ally of the US President Donald Trump-aligned MAGA movement, said:

It added that it had written several letters to the South African government, including Ramaphosa, to resolve the diplomatic crisis and deal with “its consequences and possible solutions” before the visit.

Its attempts were ignored.

Earlier this year, Presidency spokesperson Vincent Magwenya said President Cyril Ramaphosa would not meet AfriForum and Solidarity, accusing the groupings of peddling “lies”.

While Solidarity is set to zig-zag the US on a state and federal level, Ramaphosa will attend the UN General Assembly in the coming days – but his itinerary doesn’t include a meeting with the US president.

However, he will be meeting with Congress leaders and industry titans on the sidelines of the UN event.

READ | Solidarity, AfriForum ‘misrepresenting the South African experience’ - Deputy Minister Alvin Botes

Meanwhile, Buys said the lobby group’s latest visit follows a year in which the ANC government had “seriously damaged relations with the USA”.

Though Ramaphosa previously blamed AfriForum and Solidarity for US sanctions, accusing them of spreading “racist misinformation” in their US forays, Buys blamed this “alienation” on the ANC and the government.

Buys said the consequences were now being felt by ordinary people in South Africa.

“Like many other infrastructures in the country, the government’s diplomatic infrastructure has imploded,” Buys is quoted as saying in the Solidarity statement.

“Previously, South Africa had diplomatic infrastructure down to state level, but now there is not even an ambassador, and the special envoy does not even have a visa.

He said while the relationship between Pretoria and Washington has deteriorated, Solidarity has been practising “community diplomacy” and has “trusted relationships” in the USA through the lobby group’s role in South Africa.

“This creates a unique opportunity to offer a positive alternative in light of the currently existing decaying state relations,” Buys said.

Solidarity cited Congressman Ronnie Jackson of Texas’ bill to review the US’ relationship with South Africa, which is premised on South Africa taking Israel to the International Court of Justice and the “deep-rooted corruption” among senior ANC leaders, among other things.

“Where government ruins relations and endangers the country’s economic future, the Solidarity Movement builds bridges, creates solutions and restores hope,” Buys said.

The statement said Solidarity and AfriForum will have different focuses during the tour.