Who and what is AfriForum?

AfriForum is an Afrikaans civil rights organisation that protects the rights of minority groups at national as well as provincial level, and anyone who can identify with AfriForum’s principles and objectives may join the organisation. AfriForum’s community plan focuses on mobilising communities to thus take control of their own streets and neighbourhoods again. AfriForum ensures that your constitutional and civil rights are recognised and protected at national level.

Wie en wat is AfriForum?

AfriForum is ’n Afrikaanse burgerregteorganisasie wat die regte van minderheidsgroepe op sowel nasionale as provinsiale vlak beskerm, en enigiemand wat met AfriForum se beginsels en doelstellings kan identifiseer, mag by die organisasie aansluit. AfriForum se gemeenskapsplan fokus daarop om gemeenskappe te mobiliseer om só weer beheer terug te neem oor hul eie strate en woonbuurtes. AfriForum verseker dat jou grondwetlike én burgerregte op nasionale vlak erken en beskerm word.

Judgement reserved in AfriForum and Solidarity’s court case against Department of Tourism

The North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria today reserved judgement in AfriForum and Solidarity’s urgent review application against the Department of Tourism’s use of race as a benchmark for the awarding of relief to tourism enterprises. Judge Jody Kollapen has undertaken to give judgement in this case before the end of the week.

AfriForum’s legal team today amongst others argued during the hearing that the expressed aim of the Department’s fund is to offer assistance to tourism enterprises that are being adversely affected by COVID-19. Seeing as everyone, notwithstanding their race, is being adversely affected by COVID-19, the Department cannot use Section 9(2) of the Constitution, which justifies correction of discrimination from the past, as justification for discriminating assistance against the consequences of COVID-19.

Kallie Kriel, CEO of AfriForum, believes AfriForum and Solidarity made a strong case today. “AfriForum however feels so strongly about this matter that, should it be necessary, we are prepared to fight to the end in the highest court.”

Kriel indicated that it is unethical that government is all too happy to exact taxes from minorities and then to, without hesitation, discriminate against these same minorities when taxpayers’ money is being used. “It is also shocking that the government, even in a time when everyone in the country is supposed to stand together against the mutual enemy – COVID-19, has decided to use the provision of relief to struggling enterprises to further its racial agenda.”

On 7 April 2020 AfriForum placed Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane, the Minister of Tourism, as well as the Department on terms regarding BEE and other requirements. According to Kriel neither the Minister nor the Department reacted to AfriForum’s letter and as such AfriForum now has no other choice but to approach the courts.

AfriForum encourages all tourism enterprises to still apply for relief at www.tourism.gov.za/Pages/COVID19TOURISMRELIEFFUND.aspx. You can SMS the name of your enterprise to 45113 (R1) to provide AfriForum with your enterprise’s details so that we can implement legal action on your behalf should your application be rejected based on BEE requirements. You can also send an email with your enterprise’s details to afriforum@afriforum.co.za.