The Solidarity Movement, a lobby group closely linked to AfriForum, is set to embark on a month-long diplomatic mission across Europe. Their goal? To rally foreign powers to exert pressure on the South African government, urging a review of key policies, including the controversial Expropriation Act.
Jaco Kleynhans, leader of Solidarity, announced that the group would engage with several European nations, including the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Germany, Austria, and Italy, during their visit. The lobbying campaign aims to convince these countries to use their influence at the G20 summit to persuade South Africa to reconsider what they call “discriminatory” laws. Kleynhans emphasized that these countries should strengthen their relationships with South Africa while also pushing for a review of the Expropriation Act, which has raised concerns about land reform and property rights.
“In Europe, I will engage with the EU on trade issues and have conversations with governments about strengthening relations with South Africa, while also urging them to use the G20 summit to apply pressure on the South African government to revisit the Expropriation Act,” Kleynhans said.
The move comes amidst rising tensions over entities operating across borders and allegedly engaging with foreign governments without the formal knowledge or approval of South Africa’s foreign ministry. Solidarity’s European tour is part of a broader push to gain international backing for their stance on land reform.
This development adds to ongoing diplomatic discussions, including the Democratic Alliance (DA) visiting the United States to address strained relations between South Africa and former President Donald Trump’s administration. In the DA’s case, they sought to stabilize relations by engaging key U.S. policymakers.
However, the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) has questioned the legitimacy of such efforts. DIRCO spokesperson Chrispin Phiri stressed that foreign policy is the responsibility of the executive, not opposition parties or lobby groups. “The Constitution is very clear on where foreign policy resides. It’s within the remit of the executive,” Phiri said.
As Solidarity’s European lobbying campaign gains momentum, the future of South Africa’s land reform policies—and the global pressures that will shape them—remains a key point of contention.
