The unintended consequences of pursuing treason charges against AfriForum

CapeTalk's John Maytham is joined by executive director of The Campaign for Free Expression, Nicole Fritz.

Listen below:

On Monday, Hawks head Godfrey Lebeya revealed they were investigating allegations of high treason against certain minority organisations.

It follows the recent ramping up of a 'victim' rhetoric by lobby groups AfriForum and Solidarity.

While AfriForum insists it has not been feeding a false narrative to the US government, delegates from the organisation recently held meetings with senior officials in Washington.

The lobby groups claimed the purpose of their visit was to 'fight for the interests of Afrikaners and South Africa'.

Fritz says the decision to investigate treason charges is problematic for a number of reasons.

"There is no plausible legal grounds to investigate them for charges of treason."

- Nicole Fritz, Executive Director - The Campaign for Free Expression

"It would be a waste of very precious prosecutorial and investigative resources."

- Nicole Fritz, Executive Director - The Campaign for Free Expression

Aside from the unlikely legal success of such an action, Fritz says the accusations of treason play into the hands of the distorted narrative that groups like AfriForum and Solidarity are peddling.

"Many South Africans, including ourselves at CFE, fiercely disagree with the proposition they make, which is that white South Africans and Afrikaner South Africans especially, are facing an especial prejudice."

- Nicole Fritz, Executive Director - The Campaign for Free Expression

Fritz believes that pursuing such charges may 'counterintuitively and ironically' create the perception that these minority groups are being unfairly singled out.

Moreover, she says, it impairs our understanding of our constitutional democracy, and risks undermining free expression in South Africa.

"Even those with whom we disagree, we must extend those rights and freedoms."

- Nicole Fritz, Executive Director - The Campaign for Free Expression

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