Speech | 21 SEPTEMBER 2025 | Michigan
Ladies and Gentlemen, Chairman Jim Runestad, members of the U.S. House of Representatives, the Michigan Legislature and other political institutions in the U.S. and here in Michigan, distinguished guests,
It is an honor and a privilege to stand before you today at this 36th Mackinac Republican Leadership Conference, a gathering that embodies the unyielding spirit of liberty, resilience, and principled leadership that has defined the Republican movement for generations.
I serve as the Head of International Liaison for Solidarity a large South African civil rights organization dedicated to protecting the rights, dignity, and future of minorities – particularly the Afrikaner minority – in a nation that increasingly seems bent on erasing our culture and identity.
But before I delve into the heart of my message, I must address a shadow that looms over us all, a stark reminder of the perils we face in this global battle for conservative values. Just last week, on a day that should have been filled with the promise of discourse and debate in the great state of Utah, we lost Charlie Kirk—a brilliant, fearless voice for the next generation of conservatives – to a cowardly assassination. His death was not merely a personal tragedy; it was a chilling escalation in the wave of violent rhetoric and actions targeted at conservative voices everywhere. From the streets of America to the town halls of Europe, and yes, even to the farmlands of my own country, South Africa, the enemies of freedom are emboldened. They chant slogans of hate, they incite division, and they strike without remorse.
As Afrikaners in South Africa, we will forever be grateful to Charlie Kirk and his huge contribution to focusing the world’s eyes on the murders of farmers in South Africa and the escalatingattack on the future of my people. Together with President Donald Trump and others, Kirk did great work over the past few years to tell the truth of what is happening in South Africa. Thank you, Charlie. We salute you! For now,and forever.
In South Africa, the toxic leftwing rhetoric has a name and a tune: “Kill the Boer, Kill the Farmer.” It is not some relic of the past; it is sung openly at political rallies, chanted by leaders who hold the reins of power, and echoed in the halls of government.
Thank you for giving me this platform to speak,not just for South Africa, but for all minorities under siege in a world that increasingly tolerates authoritarianism in the name of “progress.” Today, I want to focus on why South Africa matters to you – to America, to the Republican cause, and to the free world.
Let us begin with why South Africa is so crucially important to the United States, and why the Afrikaners, as a beleaguered minority, must be central to any American strategy in Africa. South Africa is not merely another country on the map; it is the economic powerhouse of the continent, commanding vast reserves of critical minerals that power everything from your smartphones to electric vehicles and defense systems. We hold over 80% of the world’s platinum supply and significant portions of manganese and vanadium, key to steel production and battery technology. In a world racing toward green energy and technological dominance, South Africa’s resources are a geopolitical goldmine. Losing influence here means ceding ground to authoritarian adversaries such as China.
But beyond these resources, South Africa is America’s gateway to Africa. With a sophisticated financial system and a G20 membership, we bridge the Global North and the emerging markets of the Global South. Trade between our nations exceeds $20 billion annually, supporting jobs in manufacturing, agriculture, and services across both countries.
Yet this partnership is fraying under the weight of South Africa’s internal decay and external alignments. America needs a stable, pro-Western South Africa to counter the spread of communism and authoritarianism on the continent. Without it, China’s Belt and Road Initiative will swallow Africa whole, Russia’s Wagner mercenaries will destabilize more regimes, and Iran’s proxies will find safe havens for mischief.
Now, why Afrikaners specifically? As a minority of about 2.5 million – roughly 5% of South Africa’s population – we represent a cultural and ideological bulwark against the tide of radicalism sweeping our land. We are conservatives at heart: family-oriented, entrepreneurial, religious, and committed to private property, rule of law, and individual liberty. Our values align seamlessly with the Republican ethos – think self-reliance, like the pioneers of the American West, or the unyielding faith of the Founding Fathers.
Historically, Afrikaners have been the stewards of South Africa’s agricultural heartland, producing 90% of the country’s food despite owning only a fraction of the land. We are the innovators in tech and engineering who keep the lights on and the doctors, teachers, and entrepreneurs who built modern South Africa. Marginalizing us does not just harm a minority; it undermines the very stability America needs in Africa. Supporting Afrikaners means bolstering a pro-American, pro-freedom force that can help reclaim the continent for democracy.
To understand our importance, one must know our background—a story of perseverance, innovation, and tragedy that mirrors the American journey in many ways. The Afrikaners trace our roots to the 17th century, when Dutch settlers arrived at the Cape of Good Hope, establishing a refreshment station for the Dutch East India Company. These were hardy Protestants—farmers, craftsmen, and traders—fleeing religious persecution in Europe, muchlike the Pilgrims who landed at Plymouth Rock. These Dutch settlers intermarried with French Huguenots and Germans and forged a unique identity; the Afrikaans language, a blend of Dutch and local tongues, became our voice; the Calvinist faith was our compass.
In the 19th century, as British imperial ambitions encroached, we embarked on the Great Trek – a mass migration inland of over 12,000 pioneers seeking freedom from colonial overreach. Our pioneer forefathers carved out republics such asthe Orange Free State and Transvaal, fighting epic battles against Zulu warriors at Blood River in 1838 and later against the British in the Anglo-Boer Wars of 1880 and 1899-1902.
The British were the first to use concentration camps during war, and during the Anglo Boer War of 1899 to 1902 most of our Afrikaner women and children were placed inconcentration camps by the English. More than 34 000 women and children perished in those concentration camps in some of the worst conditions you could ever imagine.
But after the war, we decided to forgive. We decided to move forward. We built a nation on the principle of self-determination, inventing technologies like the world’s first heart transplant in 1967 and pioneering conservation efforts that protected Africa’s wildlife.
Coming to the second topic: South Africa since 1994, and how the liberal Western vision of a “rainbow nation” has crumbled under the weight of ANC governance. When Nelson Mandela walked free from prison in 1990 and became president in 1994, the world hailed it as a miracle. The end of apartheid promised unity – a rainbow nation where black, white, brown, and Indian people could coexist in harmony. Western liberals, from Bill Clinton to Tony Blair, poured in billions in aid and investment, betting on reconciliation, affirmative action, and a mixed economy to heal old wounds.
For a brief, shining moment during the 1990’s it worked. Under Jacob Zuma from 2009 to 2018, “state capture” siphoned billions from public coffers—funds meant for housing, schools, and hospitals vanished into private jets and mansions. Eskom, our state power utility, was looted, leading to rolling blackouts that crippled industry. The ANC’s cadre deployment – placing loyalists in key positions – prioritized politics over competence, turning bureaucracies into fiefdoms. Racial quotas under Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) laws sidelined skilled workers, regardless of merit, fostering resentment and inefficiency.
At the commencement of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s tenure in 2018, the damage was irreversible. Unemployment soared above 30%, youth joblessness hit 60%, and inequalityworsened. The “rainbow” faded as tribalism and populism rose: the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), led by Julius Malema, openly calls for nationalizing everything, from all farmland to all financial institutions and mines. They advocate for land seizures, chanting “Kill the Boer” at rallies. Liberal ideals of meritocracy and non-racialism have been sacrificed on the altar of revenge politics. The ANC destroyed South Africa not through malice alone, but through incompetence masked as transformation. What was promised as upliftment became exploitation; what was envisioned as unity devolved into division. The West’s blind faith in this model – ignoring warning signs of socialism- left us a failed experiment, a cautionary tale for America as you grapple with your own progressive overreach.
This brings us to the third focus point: where South Africa stands today. As an increasinglyfailed state, service delivery has collapsed. Water shortages affect 40% of households; potholed roads and collapsing bridges symbolize infrastructure decay. Rolling power outages have been a reality in South Africa for the past 15 years. The brain drain is real: over a million South Africans, many Afrikaners, have emigrated since 1994, taking their expertise to Australia, Canada, and yes, America.
Land expropriation without compensation, enshrined in the 2018 ANC policy and accelerated under Ramaphosa with a new expropriation act signed late last year.
Racial laws and discrimination against minorities are rampant. BEE mandates high percentages of black ownership in companies, often through shady deals that enrich elites while excluding whites, Indians, and brown people from jobs and contracts. Affirmative action quotas fill universities and civil service with underqualified candidates, sidelining merit.
Crime is an epidemic: over 27,000 murders are committed annually – the highest in the world outside war zones. But farm attacks stand outas a special scourge against rural whites. Since 1994, over 3,000 farmers have been killed in brutal assaults involving torture, rape, and execution-style murders. Today there are less than 30,000 commercial farmers left in South Africa who must feed a growing population of more than 60 million.
Farm attacks and murders are not random robberies; they are ethnically motivated, with attackers targeting isolated homesteads, stealing little but inflicting maximum terror. The government downplays it, claiming it is mere crime, but the patterns—disproportionate violence against white farmers—tell another story. As President Trump rightly noted, it is a crisis demanding international attention.
Finally, our foreign policy has veered dangerously toward authoritarian embrace. South Africa, under ANC influence, has warmed to China, Russia, and Iran, aligning with BRICS to counter the West. In 2023, South Africahosted joint naval exercises with Russia and China in the Indian Ocean codenamed “Mosi”,signaling military cooperation amid Russia’s Ukraine invasion.
With Iran, ties deepened in 2025: high-level military talks in Tehran discussed hosting Iranian naval flotillas in our ports, and the South African government defended Iran’s nuclear ambitions at the UN. Ramaphosa’s government abstained from condemning Russia’s aggression and sued Israel at the ICJ over Gaza, earning praise from Tehran.
In February 2025, President Donald J. Trump issued Executive Order 14204, titled “Addressing Egregious Actions of the Republic of South Africa.” This landmark decree declared it U.S. policy to oppose South Africa’s human rights violations, particularly against white Afrikaners, and its undermining of international norms. It suspended foreign aid – over $500 million annually – until reforms are made. It also created a fast-track refugee program for persecuted Afrikaner farmers and professionals.
Since February, a bill was approved in the
http://U.S.House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs, further implementing President Trump’s executive order and even suggesting that targeted sanctions be imposed on ANC officials involved in corruption and land grabs. We support this proposal and hope that the act will soon be approved by the full House and the Senate so that President Trump can sign it.
President Trump’s reciprocal tariffs in April 2025 hit South African exports such as steel and agricultural products, retaliating against our BRICS alignments. Our fear now is that the tariffs are punishing the people closest to the U.S., such as Afrikaner farmers. We want to make a plea to the U.S. to lower the tariffs and instead focus on punitive measures against the South African government and radical anti-American politicians.
Within this crisis lies opportunity: strained relations can be leveraged for change. America holds the cards: market access, military aid, and diplomatic clout. By supporting Solidarity and civil society, the U.S. can empower pro-Western voices, pressure the ANC toward accountability, and reclaim South Africa as a strategic ally. I repeat: Please do not punish your friends, such as Afrikaner farmers, with tariffs. Punish the real scoundrels who have acted, and continue to act,against American interests!
In conclusion, my friends, South Africa’s story is one of promises betrayed but not yet lost. The assassination of Charlie Kirk reminds us that violence against our ideas is real, but so is our resolve. The chants of “Kill the Boer” echo the global assault on freedom, but with leaders like President Trump, we have hope.
I urge you: Pressure your government to enforce the executive order fully. Shine a light on farm murders and corruption. Support South African civil society with donations, media reports and access to a platform where we can share our views.
We ask you to counter South Africa’s drift toward tyrants by strengthening ties with true partners like us. Together, we can rebuild a South Africa that honors all its people – a beacon of liberty in Africa, allied with the greatest nation on earth, the United States of America. God bless you, God bless the Republican Party, God bless the great people of Michigan, God bless the Afrikaner people at the southern tip of Africa and God bless the enduring spirit of freedom. Thank you.
- Watch the broadcast here.
