South Africa’s Crisis, Displayed on the National Mall
South African think tank and advocacy group Lex Libertas, led by Dr Ernst Roets, is preparing one of the most visible international awareness campaigns yet for the crisis facing South Africa’s minority communities, a display of 3 000 white crosses on the National Mall in Washington D.C., between the White House and Capitol Hill.
What is the 3 000 Crosses Campaign?
The White Cross Project is a public memorial and advocacy initiative planned for Fall 2026. Three thousand white crosses will be planted on the National Mall to commemorate victims of farm attacks in South Africa and to raise urgent awareness among American policymakers about the growing crisis of violence, racial discrimination, and state collapse affecting South African communities.
The display will be combined with a public conference on the South African crisis and the case for self-governance. Lex Libertas also plans to bring victims of farm attacks, land grabs, and racial exclusion to the U.S. to share their personal testimonies.
Why Washington?
According to Dr Roets, the crisis in South Africa has been actively downplayed by both local and international media.
“The crisis that affects South Africa has been ignored for too long, and we are determined to bring it to the attention of the international community in a way that will make it very difficult to deny the existence of this crisis any further.” – Dr Ernst Roets
Lex Libertas has already completed a liaison tour to Washington D.C. to build stakeholder support for the project, and has partnered with the New York Young Republican Club (NYYRC) on the campaign.
The Petition
Alongside the White Cross display, Lex Libertas is collecting 100 000 signatures on a petition calling on the United States to:
– Appoint a special envoy dedicated to engaging with the Afrikaner community and other cultural minorities in South Africa
– Recognise the pursuit of self-governance as a legitimate and peaceful aspiration
– Promote dialogue on regional and cultural autonomy
– Protect communities from persecution
Once 100 000 signatures have been collected, the petition will be formally handed to President Donald Trump.
Support the Campaign: Sponsor a Cross
Members of the public are invited to help fund it by sponsoring one white cross for R280. All 3 000 crosses need to be sponsored for the campaign to go ahead. To receive the sponsorship link, please fill in your details below. We will send it directly to your inbox.
CLICK HERE TO ACCESS YOUR DONATION LINK
About Lex Libertas
Lex Libertas is a South African think tank and advocacy group working toward a viable political dispensation based on the principles of freedom, decentralisation, and self-governance.
The name means Law and Freedom. The organisation was established in 2025 and is led by Dr Ernst Roets, an attorney and constitutional law expert with a doctorate in Legal Philosophy. Visit www.lexlibertas.org.za to learn more.
