Anc's Mokonyane Casts Doubt On Who Afriforum And Da Met In Us Visits

African National Congress ANC First Deputy Secretary-General Nomvula Mokonyane has cast doubt on who AfriForum and Democratic Alliance DA met during their recent visits to the US.

Civil society group AfriForum, along with Solidarity, claimed to have met US government representatives at the White House on 25 February.

They subsequently published a Washington Declaration that urged the US to pressurise ANC and government leaders to end discrimination against Afrikaners.

In a statement on 5 March, the DA also claimed it had engaged with key decision-makers across Congress, the State Department and the White House during a week-long working visit in Washington DC.

The visit was aimed at stabilising diplomatic relations between South Africa and the United States during this period of heightened tensions, the partys spokesperson for international relations and cooperation Emma Louise Powell said.

However, speaking to the media in the Free State on Monday 10 March, Mokonyane questioned who exactly AfriForum met in Washington. Even the DA has not told us who they met. They keep saying we met senior people, she said.

We have an ambassador who talks to the administration. And what is good is that the option of sending a delegation has not been put aside.

Mokonyane, who is also the ANCs international relations committee chairperson, said the government was working through the right channels. It has not yet received formal correspondence on US President Donald Trumps recent social media pronouncements on South Africa, she claimed.

Speaking to IOL News last week, International Relations and Cooperation Minister Ronald Lamola also criticised the DAs visit , saying foreign policy is the preserve of the executive.

AfriForum and Solidarity are under investigation after individuals and political parties, such as uMkhonto weSizwe Party, opened treason cases against them, citing their international campaign against some South African laws.