Two organisations that look like political opposites have joined in a marriage of convenience; AfriForum seeking a domestic image upgrade, and March and March learning how to legitimise and normalise anti-black discrimination.

Dr. Rebecca Walker (ACMS, Wits University), Iriann Freemantle (ACMS), and Sharon Ekambaram (KAAX) unpack the alliance:

“AfriForum organises around Afrikaner resistance, farm murders, and opposes affirmative action and land reform. March and March, a black nationalist group, focuses on ‘irregular migration’ through disinformation and paid bots to exploit grievances among South Africa’s poor working class.”

The authors argue that both organisations weaponise nationalism and preserve the racial order built by apartheid, directing anger away from inequality and towards those furthest down the ladder.

“When these two are done, inequality and racial hierarchy will still be here. And if push comes to shove, AfriForum will make sure March and March get bantustans, not South Africa.”

Read the full op-ed. 

[Credit: AfriForum]