AfriForum's CEO Kallie Kriel said President Donald Trump's call to South African farmers to settle in the United States was understandable as the ANC refuses to declare farm murders a priority crime.
Kriel was commenting on Friday after Trump posted on his Truth Social platform that "any Farmer (with family!) from South Africa, seeking to flee that country for reasons of safety, will be invited into the United States of America with a rapid pathway to Citizenship."
He said the process would begin immediately, calling the country a "bad place to be right now" as he announced a halt to all US aid to Pretoria.
Based on Trump's statement, Kriel claimed that the world could also see that President Cyril Ramaphosa was reluctant to condemn statements like “Kill the Farmer” and even denying the existence of farm murders which in many cases involved torture.
"This situation is further aggravated by the fact that some parties along with the ANC, are shouting misinformation when objections to the deprivation law and farm murders are raised. The ANC and its allies will have to take direct responsibility for any emigration of farmers to the US and the consequent loss of food security," he said.
Moreover, he added that amid this denial of farm killings, the lobby group will intensify its efforts to get farm killings declared a priority crime.
"We will continue to fight against calls to violence against farmers and to expand our nationwide network of neighbourhood and farm guards so farming communities can better protect themselves.
"AfriForum respects every farmer’s right to decide for themselves about their future, but as an organisation we are shamelessly fighting to help build a future at the southern tip of Africa for our communities and posterity," he said.
Moreover, he added that amid this denial of farm killings, the lobby group will intensify its efforts to get farm killings declared a priority crime.
"We will continue to fight against calls to violence against farmers and Africans and to expand our nationwide network of neighbourhood and farm guards so farming communities can better protect themselves.
"AfriForum respects every farmer’s right to decide for themselves about their future, but as an organisation we are shamelessly fighting to help build a future at the southern tip of Africa for our communities and posterity," he said.
Meanwhile, the presidency swiftly responded, saying in a statement that it would not engage in "counterproductive megaphone diplomacy."
IOL News