Solidarity returning to the US

Leaders from the Solidarity Movement are planning to return to the United States to meet with “influential American politicians” and to discuss minority rights in South Africa and relief from new US tariffs.

Representatives from the group will travel to the United States on 14 September 2025 and remain there until October. 

The union stated that it planned the trip following the recent US Department of State report on the “deterioration of human rights” in South Africa over the past year. 

The report mentions attacks on Afrikaner farmers and the singing of the song “Kill the Boer” by members of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF).

It refers to “a broader pattern in which minority groups, and specifically Afrikaaners, are targeted in South Africa”, according to Solidarity. 

The US report was rejected by the South African Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO), specifically due to the claims made in the report regarding attacks on white farmers.

The department explained that crime is a significant challenge for all citizens, regardless of race or location. 

“The suggestion that these crimes represent a concerted practice of racially motivated attacks, as insinuated by the US report, is not borne out by the facts,” the department said. 

Statistics provided by the South African Police Service (SAPS) show that six murder cases were reported in farming communities between January and March 2025. 

Of these, three were employees, one victim was a farm dweller, and two were farmers. The department stated that this does not reveal a pattern of racially motivated attacks on farmers. 

The South African government regarded the report as “inaccurate, seriously flawed and not representative of the reality of the country’s constitutional democracy.”

The Civil Rights Group, AfriForum, which is part of the Solidarity Movement, stated that DIRCO conveniently used the statistics from the last quarter to deny a pattern of attacks.

The group accused the South African government of ignoring the historical reality of the crimes. 

A request for practical support from the US to combat crime is one of the reasons for the union’s visit to US President Donald Trump, according to Solidarity leader Jaco Kleynhans. 

The leader stated that Solidarity aims to restore and strengthen diplomatic relations between the US and South Africa, which he claims have deteriorated significantly during the years of ANC rule. 

Suggesting “targeted action” against South African politicians

The United States implemented a 30% unilateral tariff on South African exports that came into effect on 7 August. 

Kleynhans believes that the tension between the two countries and the resulting tariffs are caused by the South African government’s unwillingness to negotiate constructively with the US.

In response to the US report and the implementation of the tariffs, Kleynhans said that the group will present “practical and workable solutions” to US policymakers. 

“Solidarity and other stakeholders aim to provide suggestions on how the US and other international partners can play a role in improving the human rights climate in South Africa and expanding economic opportunities for all citizens,” said Kleynhans. 

According to a mission statement shared by the Solidarity leader, the group plans to make a proposal to the White House to exempt certain industries from the tariffs. 

Additionally, the group plans to propose an alternative legislation to the American Growth and Opportunity in Africa Act (AGOA), which allowed South Africa duty-free access to the US market before the tariffs were introduced.

Solidarity will suggest that the US Department of Foreign Affairs take targeted action against politicians instead of general action that disadvantages all South Africans. 

The upcoming visit will also include discussions of economic cooperation with “specific South African companies.” 

Plans to develop a programme for South Africans to be employed by US companies while working from South Africa are also on the agenda, alongside “educational alternatives and other solutions to South Africa’s most pressing economic challenges.”