USA. – The American president Donald Trump's administration is reportedly planning to allocate nearly US$1 million (approximately R17 million) to the South African civil rights organisation AfriForum to investigate alleged discrimination and violence against Afrikaners and other minority groups in South Africa. This follows after the American investigative news organisation ProPublica published an investigation into the possible funding on 5 November.
According to ProPublica the intended allocation amounts to US$986 500 and will come from the American Department of State's human rights budget. The project will reportedly focus on documenting violence, hate speech and alleged discrimination against minority groups, as well as their access to justice and protection by law enforcement authorities.
The funding process initially involved Lex Libertas, an organisation founded by Ernst Roets, a former AfriForum manager. After criticism of the initial plan, a public application process was established. ProPublica reports that AfriForum is now reportedly identified as the intended recipient.
According to ProPublicaAfriForum understands that the funding has not yet been finalised. The American Department of State has also not confirmed that the money has already been allocated to the organisation.
The possible funding comes amid strained relations between South Africa and the USA over, among other things, allegations of racism, discrimination and violence against Afrikaners.
This article is an automatic English translation of a Nuusflits article originally published in Afrikaans. Read the Afrikaans original.
