Exploring AfriForum's potential annual revenue from membership contributions.
Image: X
Lobby group AfriForum has told IOL that it has received an uptick in new members in the past month. This might be fuelled by its leaders' trip to the US to advocate for Afrikaner issues.
However, as a result, the country is grappling with international pressure from US President Donald Trump and 'Shadow President' Elon Musk over the Expropriation Act, which AfriForum raised among other pressing issues.
AfriForum head of public relations, Ernst van Zyl revealed to IOL that the organisation currently has approximately 315,000 members who pay a minimum of R30 per month.
In response to a query about demographics of the members, Van Zyl said: "Unlike the race-obsessed South African government, AfriForum does not ask the race of people when they sign up as members, so we do not have the racial statistics of our members."
However, the group has positioned itself to focus almost exclusively on all things Afrikaner. While fees start at R30 per month, the precise amount may vary based on the type of membership or extra donations individuals choose to make.
In a membership and debit order form for members in 2019, AfriForum said that R100 was the average contribution for the month, while for the year, it was R1,200.
Membership and debit order form for AfriForum members in 2019.
Image: Screenshot
Low-end estimate - If all 315,000 members paid the minimum of R30 per month, that's 315,000 multiplied by R30 which is R9,450,000. Annually this would equate to R113,400,000.
Mid-range estimate - If the average contribution is R100, then the group would be laughing all the way to the bank with R31,500,000 a month. This would mean AfriForum makes R378,000,000.
High-end estimate - If all members contributed R300 per members, the amount would surge to R94,500,000. Annually, the group would get R1,134,000,000.
However, the group closely guards its financials.
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Ernst Roets, its former deputy chief executive launched the Pioneer Initiative, a think tank that is purportedly aiming towards a 'more sustainable political dispensation for South Africa'. Through the initiative, Roets aims to raise funds to focus on Afrikaner self-governance and autonomy within the country.
"We already have hundreds of people contributing and supporters ... It's not just from an Afrikaner perspective," he told IOL.
While the Pioneer Initiative is ideologically closely aligned with AfriForum, both parties have denied working together on the new project.
"The Pioneer Initiative is an independent project of Ernst Roets ... AfriForum does not tell its members which organisations to support or not support," said Van Zyl.
AfriForum purports to use funds generated from members towards community safety and infrastructure, cultural and educational development, legal and advocacy efforts and more.
xolile.mtembu@iol.co.za
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