The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) would not normally want to give airtime to fringe juvenile lunatics, let alone those inebriated with racism and fake news, however an exception needs to be made for AfriForum’s acts of buffoonery due to the very real pain we believe they have caused and will further inflict upon millions of South Africans, black and white. 

AfriForum has for many years deluded itself into believing that it is a civil rights movement, it is not.  It has equally misled many, in particular our counterparts in the United States of America (USA), into believing it speaks on behalf of Afrikaners and Afrikaans speakers, again it does not.  We do not need to ask where was their sense of self-righteous indignation during the dark days of apartheid, we all know the answer.

We do not need to relitigate the nonsensical drivel unleashed by AfriForum and their ill-informed social media cheerleaders in South Africa, the USA and we believe in a pending 30-day holiday jaunt across select G20 European member states.  COSATU and other sober South Africans have been heartened by the overwhelming rejection of AfriForum’s stream of fact-free hysteria, in particular by members of the Afrikaans community; including ordinary citizens, church, business, agriculture, civil society, media and political party leaders.  Indeed, this sense of unity and resolute commitment to our democratic dispensation and the non-racial values and prescripts of our Constitution; is a sign that South Africa’s future is in safe hands.

Every society has its collection of embarrassing village idiots, and few would doubt that AfriForum has this title firmly within its grubby little hands.  Whilst it is tempting for grown-ups to ignore the rantings of AfriForum as the delusions of ill-adjusted aging hoodlums, we cannot ignore what we believe are the very real consequences of their actions.

Shortly after AfriForum’s jaunts across the USA, South Africa has seen approximately R8 billion in aid, the majority of which has been channelled to fund healthcare for over half a million South Africans living with HIV/AIDS cancelled.  This has been followed by factually devoid allegations of genocide and land grabs committed against white Afrikaans South Africans and resulting offers of refugee status.  South African exports’ continued preferential access to the American economy as well as possible targeted, financial and other sanctions are reported by the media to being under consideration.

Whilst South Africa is a robust and noisy democracy, there must be a limit to what society can be expected to reasonably tolerate.  The Federation believes that the very real consequence of AfriForum’s tour of what can best be described as racial incitement, is the ending of the PEPFAR programme and South Africa’s possible exiting from the African Growth and Opportunities Act (AGOA).  AfriForum may be amused by what one suspects are now very successful fundraising drives for American dollars; there are very real casualties to its reckless tomfoolery. 

The lives of over half of million HIV/AIDS positive South Africans are now in serious danger, as are the jobs of over 15 000 community health workers who have been left with no salaries.  Half a million jobs in the agricultural, mining, motor manufacturing, clothing, chemicals and jewellery sectors may now be in jeopardy with a possible AGOA removal.  Thousands of tourism jobs too may be at risk.  These are painful blows that South Africa with our very many deep-seated socio-economic challenges can ill afford.

Condemning the shameful behaviour of AfriForum is not sufficient.  The families of any patient unable to access HIV/AIDS treatment as a result of these developments and the Department of Health should launch civil claims in our courts against these delinquents and spewers of fake news.  Likewise, any worker or company who suffers losses as a result from an AGOA exit too should seek civil claims and attach AfriForum’s assets.  There must be consequences for AfriForum’s recklessly dangerous behaviour.

If we are to build a society founded upon not only the rule of law and the exercising of one’s constitutional rights, then we must equally demand that all citizens, including the clowns running amok at AfriForum, be held accountable for their actions.  Whilst it is clear that AfriForum lacks any sense of self-introspection, let alone commitment to a non-racial democratic South Africa, we appeal to their families to reign in their middle-aged brats. 

Issued by COSATU

Matthew Parks(Parliamentary Coordinator)

Mobile: 082 785 0687

Email: matthew@cosatu.org.za