AfriForum warns social media users about fake news campaigns against the organisation
It has recently come to AfriForum’s attention that a serious and malicious fake news campaign is being driven on social media in an attempt to defame the civil rights organisation. AfriForum has meanwhile taken action against certain social media users by sending letters of demand requesting that they halt the distribution of the false, misleading and defamatory content, remove the posts and post corrections. If those involved continue to defame the civil rights organisation, legal action will be taken against them.
Unfounded allegations that AfriForum members are involved with all kinds of crimes have been posted on social media in the past few weeks. These falsehoods have made AfriForum a target, but the civil rights organisation wants to make it clear that these allegations are not only untrue but divisive at a time when South Africa is taking a new political direction.
The falsehoods that are currently doing the rounds include, among other things, that:
- a suspected drug farm in Limpopo is operated by AfriForum’s “Limpopo chairman”;
- the suspects accused of murdering two women and feeding them to pigs are AfriForum members;
- a suspect who apparently killed two Mpumalanga men and burned their bodies, is an AfriForum member; and
- AfriForum members in Hartbeespoort target black business owners and burn down their businesses.
Jacques Broodryk, AfriForum’s Chief Spokesperson for Community Safety, says it’s extremely dangerous to spread these untruths as it unnecessarily polarises race relations and incites hatred. “There isn’t any truth in these allegations and no AfriForum members were involved in these gruesome crimes. This is just another desperate attempt to overshadow AfriForum’s work with falsehoods,” says Broodryk.
In addition to these lies, there are also allegations that AfriForum is a terrorist organisation. “This is absurd, untrue and a clear attempt to put the civil rights organisation and its members in a bad light. AfriForum believes in mutual respect and cooperation between communities, therefore these attempts to sow polarisation are strongly condemned,” adds Broodryk.
AfriForum will continue to do its work in communities and not allow these falsehoods to take away from its focus.
