THE FIRST 100 DAYS

The Pioneer Initiative was announced in the form of a video published on the social media platforms of Ernst Roets on 7 March 2025. Within 24 hours, the video had been viewed 100,000 times on YouTube alone. The response to the video was sufficient to announce the initiative in the public domain and obtain funding in order to start operational activities.

By the morning of 8 March, slightly more than 12 hours after the announcement was published the night before, the Pioneer Initiative had received more than 100 donations. These donations took various forms, including once-off contributions and recurring monthly or annual donations.

Anyone who made a donation—whether once-off, monthly, or annually—was regarded as a contributor to the Pioneer Initiative. A person who made a once-off donation was considered a contributor for 12 months following the donation.

A live stream was hosted on YouTube, allowing contributors and supporters of the Pioneer Initiative to submit questions for a live Q&A session.

The discussion lasted about an hour and covered several aspects of the Pioneer Initiative, including:

• The nature of the Pioneer Initiative
• The plan & direction of the Initiative
• The distinction between the Pioneer Initiative and existing institutions
• Financial policy and funding model
• Approach to political parties and the South African government
• Upcoming activities

The answers provided during the session were supplemented by questions raised in the following weeks and were eventually published on the Lex Libertas website under the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) section (Click here to view FAQ).

On the same day, Roets’ YouTube channel surpassed 50,000 subscribers. Social media platforms were also created for the Pioneer Initiative (later renamed Lex Libertas).

Roets met with a delegation from Orania on the morning of 10 March. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the Orania delegation’s upcoming trip to the United States, which was set to coincide with an upcoming visit by the Pioneer Initiative. Several meetings in Washington, D.C. were planned to be attended jointly.

On the evening of 10 March, Roets was interviewed by Lourensa Eckard on KykNET: In Gesprek regarding his recent interview with Tucker Carlson and the future prospects of the Pioneer Initiative.

A video was published on social media explaining the difference between the Pioneer Initiative and other existing institutions.

On the same day, an opinion piece by Roets was published in the leftleaning Afrikaans news outlet Die Vrye Weekblad, titled Suid-Afrika werk nie, maar Ernst is optimisties (“South Africa isn’t working, but Ernst is optimistic”).

That evening, Roets departed for the United States on the first international liaison tour of the Pioneer Initiative - a tour that would later be named The Abolition of Distance Tour. While at the airport, he was interviewed by Chris Wyatt about the announcement and plans for the Pioneer Initiative.

Roets was interviewed by Jordan Peterson for The Daily Wire. Two interviews were conducted, totalling approximately two and a half hours.

The first interview was intended for publication on YouTube, with a particular focus on the history of South Africa and understanding the current crisis in the country.

The second was recorded exclusively for The Daily Wire, focusing on what the Western world could do in response to the crisis in South Africa.

On the morning of 17 March, Roets was interviewed in Las Vegas by Sean Michael Kelly about the crisis in South Africa, with a particular focus on farm attacks, threats to property rights, and state failure.

Roets was interviewed in Washington, D.C. by Jack Posobiec of Human Events about recent developments in South Africa and the need for self-governance for the communities living within the country.

The Pioneer Initiative participated several meetings with representatives in Washington, D.C., including officials from the U.S. government, think tanks, authors, and other key stakeholders.

The Pioneer Initiative and representatives from Orania traveled from Washington, D.C. to New York City, with a stop in Baltimore, where they met with Col. Chris Wyatt. Roets (of the Pioneer Initiative) and Joost Strydom of the Orania Movement were both interviewed by Wyatt on the same day.

Representatives from the Pioneer Initiative and Orania were hosted by the leadership of the New York Young Republican Club on a trip to Long Island. The visit included a stop at the home of former U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt at Sagamore Hill, as well as a meeting to discuss the situation in South Africa and the strengthening ties between Afrikaners and Americans.

Roets and Strydom were jointly interviewed by Cyan Quinn from the White Papers Policy Institute in New York City. The interview focused primarily on the situation in South Africa, the Afrikaner people’s pursuit of self-governance, and lessons the Western world could learn from the Afrikaner experience.

A Q&A video was published on YouTube. In this video, the following matters were discussed, among others:

• How people can contribute
• How much funding is needed for the Pioneer Initiative to function independently
• The Pioneer Initiative’s position regarding Afrikaners and non-Afrikaners
• The end goal of the Pioneer Initiative
• Whether people need to be in South Africa to help
• Whether there will be physical meetings
• How the movement plans to achieve its objectives

These topics were also included in the FAQ section eventually published on the Lex Libertas website. (Click here to view FAQ).

During the morning of 26 March, Roets was interviewed by Ben Shapiro at The Daily Wire Studios in Florida.

After the interview, Roets flew back to New York City, where he spoke at a conference hosted by the New York Young Republican Club in Manhattan.

The conference focused on strengthening ties between Afrikaners and Americans, and provided an opportunity for the NYYRC to express their support for the Afrikaner pursuit of self-governance.

A sensational story was published in a leading Afrikaans newspaper, in which Roets - and by implication, the Pioneer Initiative - was accused by a self-proclaimed Satanist affiliated with the Faculty of Theology at the University of Pretoria of spreading “toxic ideologies.”

The article sparked significant public response, prompting the Dutch Reformed Church to issue a press statement clarifying that the individual in question is not involved in formal lectures. It was, however, revealed that he had participated in extracurricular activities at the Faculty, including delivering some lectures.

The interviews with Ben Shapiro and Sean Kelly were published.

The entire day was spent in meetings and workshops, during which the following matters were discussed:

• The progress of the Pioneer Initiative since its announcement on 7 March
• Administrative matters and improvements to internal systems
• Responses to questions from contributors
• Planning toward a more finalised organisational structure

Roets was interviewed by Annika Larsen of eNCA for a documentary film about South Africa and the United States.

Several episodes of the Pioneer Podcast were recorded, including interviews with Willem Gravett, David Ansara, Mark Oppenheimer, and Ernst van Zyl.

The Pioneer Podcast was reactivated with the release of episode 39, titled We Are Back!

Roets were interviewed by Roman Cabanac, and several meetings were held with contributors to the Pioneer Initiative.

The interview with Jordan Peterson was published.

The first online contributors’ meeting of the Pioneer Initiative was held. During this meeting, progress since the initial announcement was discussed.

It was also explained that a finalized version of the initiative would be announced on 15 May.

Contributors were encouraged to submit research, policy suggestions, and name proposals.

Pioneer Podcast episode 40 (“Kill the Boer” is not hate speech? | Mark Oppenheimer) was published.

A video was published discussing the failure of the Government of National Unity (GNU) in South Africa, outlining ten possible outcomes if the GNU collapses.

Roets was also interviewed by Johan Allers for the YouTube channel Alles Afrikaans.

Pioneer Podcast #42, titled Azania Critical Theory | Willem Gravett, was published.

The interview with Johan Allers on Alles Afrikaans was also published.

Roets addressed the Orania Sakekamer in Orania with a speech entitled Die Afrikanerdroom Leef, en dit is binne ons bereik (The Afrikaner dream is alive, and it is within our reach).

Roets participated in a recording of the television program Laataand met Rian, where he was interviewed by Rian van Heerden. Political analyst Piet Croucamp also made a guest appearance during the episode.

Roets were interviewed by Bart Beyers on Radio Orania, followed by an interview with Dia van Staden for the local newspaper Koerania. He also participated in a podcast conversation with Joost Strydom of the Orania Movement.

Pioneer Podcast episode 42, A Sustainable Economic Framework for South Africa (feat. David Ansara), was published.

Roets were interviewed by British podcaster Elliot Bewick about the history of South Africa, the country’s current crisis, and the pursuit of decentralisation as a solution.

Roets was interviewed by Byron Shepherd on The Morning Shot podcast.

Pioneer Podcast, episode 43 - The Rise of Transformationism | Professor Koos Malan (Part One) - was published.

The first bosberaad of the Pioneer Initiative took place to discuss the strategic direction of the institution.

The first group of Afrikaner refugees arrived in the United States. A video titled Afrikaners, Americans, Refugees, and the Need for Systemic Reform was published on YouTube, discussing this development.

On 13 May, Roets was interviewed by Ben Shapiro in a follow-up discussion on The Daily Wire about recent developments in South Africa.

Roets was interviewed by Charlie Kirk to discuss recent developments in South Africa.

The Pioneer Podcast, episode 44 The Impact of Constitutional Changes on Society | Professor Koos Malan (Part Two) - was published.

On the same day, the Pioneer Initiative was formally launched at an event in Pretoria, where it was announced that the institution would henceforth be known as Lex Libertas.

Roets were interviewed in studio at Pretoria FM, followed by interviews with RSG and Izak du Plessis for Nuuspod, focusing on the announcement of Lex Libertas.

Roets departed for Hungary to participate in CPAC Hungary, scheduled for 29 and 30 May.

NOTE: Roets travelled to Central Europe a few days in advance and took personal leave prior to the start of the conference.

Roets hosted a livestream from Budapest, during which they reflected on the launch of Lex Libertas and the recent development of Afrikaners being accepted as refugees in the United States.

Roets hosted a livestream from Vienna, in which they discussed the name Lex Libertas, the logo, and what lies ahead for the institution.

A meeting took place at the White House between delegations from the South African and United States governments. In response, a video entitled Donald Trump Made History Today was published on YouTube.

Pioneer Podcast episode 45, titled The Rise of a Multiple Constitutional Order (Part three of the series with Professor Koos Malan), was published.

The interview with Byron Shepherd was published on The Morning Shot.

A preliminary framework was developed for a structure through which contributors to Lex Libertas could become more actively involved in the work of the institution. Roets participated in a panel discussion on Piers Morgan Uncensored about the situation in South Africa and how it should be understood.

The first campaign of Lex Libertas, titled the Truth Be Told campaign, was launched. Through this initiative, members of the public were invited to share their personal stories with Lex Libertas, enabling the organisation to present an accurate picture of developments in South Africa to the rest of the world. Participants were specifically encouraged to submit accounts related to the following themes:

• Farm Attacks
• Racial Exclusion
• Threats to Property Rights
• General Indicators of Governmental Collapse

Within just a few days, more than one hundred stories were received.

During this time, Roets also met with representatives of the Hungarian Southern African Friendship Association (HSAFA) in Budapest.

Roets attended the welcoming reception of CPAC Hungary 2025, engaging with international delegates and leaders from across the conservative movement.

The Pioneer Podcast, episode 46, entitled The Beginning of Lex Libertas and the Way Forward, was published.

On the first day of CPAC Hungary in Budapest, Roets delivered a speech and participated in several interviews, including:

• A conversation with Dave Rubin
• A panel discussion with Hidvéghi Balázs and Dávid Bencsik on the parallels between Afrikaners and Hungarians
• An interview with Gavin Duncan for Pesti Srácok

That evening, Roets was invited to a private networking event hosted by the Prime Minister of Hungary, along with other CPAC speakers.

On the second day of CPAC Hungary, Roets continued his participation in the conference and engaged in further networking and media activities. Several podcast episodes were recorded in Budapest during the course of the day, most of which are still to be published.

Roets recorded a livestream from the airport in Budapest, providing reflections and feedback on his participation in CPAC Hungary. He shared highlights from the conference, key discussions, and the significance of building international alliances for the future of Lex Libertas.

Pioneer Podcast, episode 46 - Afrikaners and the Preservation of Western Civilization in Africa feat. Ernst van Zyl - was published.

On the same day, Roets sat down for an interview with Derek van Buskirk of The Daily Caller to discuss developments in South Africa, the aims of Lex Libertas, and the broader significance of preserving Western values on the African continent.

A full day of meetings was dedicated to discussing the future activities and operational effectiveness of Lex Libertas. Particular emphasis was placed on strengthening the institution’s communications output and finalising the structure through which contributors could become more actively involved in its work.

Most of this week was dedicated to preparing a comprehensive report on the crisis in South Africa, the pursuit of self-governance, and the practical steps through which such a vision could be realised. The report is being prepared for publication both within South Africa and in the United States.

On Thursday, 12 June, episode 48 of The Pioneer Podcast was published, titled Flemish MP takes a stand for the Afrikaners | Kristof Slagmulder.

Roets was interviewed by Nigerian podcaster Kwazemy, focusing on the situation in South Africa and the broader theme of community self-governance in Africa.