Who is Pieter Kriel? Young activist shakes up SA's political landscape with controversial views on race
Pieter Kriel: The young activist challenging South Africa's political norms.
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Pieter Kriel, a 21-year-old political dynamo, has burst into the scene with explosive and divisive opinions and South Africa and the globe have taken note.
Kriel, positioning himself as the antithesis of Kallie Kriel, the chief executive of AfriForum, has made a significant impact in South Africa's political arena with his left-leaning views.
In an interview with IOL, he shared that from a young age, he envisioned a future in leadership or advocacy roles.
"Something between philosopher, politician, and public voice. I've always wanted to fight for what’s just," Kriel said. "I'm a humanist. I believe in human dignity, internationalism, unity, and justice. I advocate for equality, African integration, wealth redistribution, post-nationalism, and social realism. I'm against both racial superiority and racial ignorance. I support decolonisation in both structure and mindset."
He began his plunge into politics in 2018 when he became an atheist and started questioning all systems of power, including political, religious, and historical. The young man idolises Thomas Sankara, Steve Biko, Christopher Hitchens, George Orwell, and said he enjoys some of Karl Marx's ideas, but denied being a Marxist.
In a recent article by IOL, Kriel shared his views on the Afrikaner exodus to the US, asserting that the 49 individuals involved were not fleeing racial persecution but rather fleeing equality.
His comments sparked significant backlash on social media, drawing criticism from various quarters, including voices from the US.
"To the Americans foaming at the mouth because I dared to speak the truth, I don't owe you an apology. America has never apologised for being the global blueprint of hypocrisy for slavery, invasion, regime changes and mass incarcerations.
"To the Afrikaners clutching their pearls; the fact that my own community is attacking me with more rage than they did for apartheid, shows the work I'm doing matters, and I'm not here to comfort you, I'm here to expose you. I will not back off."
One recurring criticism of Kriel is that his voice is elevated being he is a white man. He claimed that this is true and that he benefits from privilege compared to his black contemporaries.
"I understand the suspicion that I am propping myself up as a white saviour," Kriel said. "But I don't speak for black South Africans. I speak with and alongside them. My goal isn't to 'save anyone. It's to tear down the myths that keep us divided."
The activist added that he also has political ambitions, but not those of the traditional kind.
"I want to build grassroots, youth-driven, Pan-African humanist movement. Whether that becomes formal politics or stays activist-based is still to be seen. I'm growing my platform, organising, and preparing for the long game. I'll be active on the ground, not just online. I want to raise a generation of thinkers, not just followers. The goal is justice. Real, material, irreversible justice."
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