Who Is Pieter Kriel? Meet the 21-year-old stirring South Africa’s politics

CapeTalk/702's Aubrey Masango is joined by activist Pieter Kriel.

Listen below:

"I'm not related to Kallie Kriel, I'm his antithesis. I don't fight for preservation, I fight for transformation. I don't romanticise apartheid, I want to bury it."

- Pieter Kriel

Strong words from the young man who has been setting social media on fire with his stance on race, equality, decolonisation and, yes, the 49 white Afrikaners who recently arrived in the US as refugees.

Kriel, who notes Steve Biko as one of his inspirations, seemingly has no fear when it comes to saying what he likes, despite the backlash he has received from some affronted by his 'left-leaning' stance.

He says his passion for politics and activism began while at school.

"Some of the African kids were not allowed to express their desired hairstyles, and I took offence to that."

- Pieter Kriel, Activist/Social media personality

So, Kriel joined the protests, adding his voice to those fighting the racist policies.

But not everyone was happy about his participation in those demonstrations.

"I got a lot of backlash for that. I was called a traitor."

- Pieter Kriel, Activist/Social media personality

But Kriel was not deterred by the criticism. In fact, he was spurred on by it.

"Only when you're outside of your own comfort zone can you grow."

- Pieter Kriel, Activist/Social media personality

"I don't speak for Africa or Africans, but I speak alongside Africans and Africa for the vision and for the purpose of Africa, and in that regard I do see myself as an African."

- Pieter Kriel, Activist/Social media personality

"I don't believe you have to be a person of colour, a Black person or necessarily African by race to believe in African unity."

- Pieter Kriel, Activist/Social media personality

Scroll up to listen to the full conversation.