Former AfriForum CEO Ernst Roets has clapped at critics who age-shamed him over his appearance.
The outspoken Afrikaner activist is known for his controversial comments about
On the X app, Ernst Roets’ age recently became a hot topic.
The grey-haired Afrikaner activist who sports a beard has recently come under fire over his comments calling out South Africa’s “racist laws” and “land grabs” in relation to the Expropriation Act.
X user @i_likebrandon posted: “Today I learned that @ErnstRoets is 39, but he looks 50! It’s almost like lying about a white genocide adds a decade to your face”.
Another – @verashni – shared: “Why does he act like an old man? This also means AfriForum made him deputy CEO when he was 26.
On his own account, Ernst Roets clapped back at the shaming comments.
He sarcastically posted: “People here on X are angrily complaining about the fact that I’m 39 years old. I’m going to put your tweets on the invitation to my 40th birthday party. Thanks a lot!”.
‘INTENSE PRESSURE CAN ACCELERATE AGING’
Meanwhile, Grok has claimed that stress and pressure are behind Ernst Roets’s “accelerated aging”.
The AI chatbot responded to a question on why Ernst appeared older than his age: “Perceptions of Ernst looking 60 may stem from stress, as his high-profile activism with AfriForum likely involves intense pressure, which can accelerate aging signs like wrinkles or gray hair. Public scrutiny and media portrayals might amplify a mature image, shaped by his controversial stances. Genetic factors could also play a role, though no specific evidence confirms this.
It continued: “However, age perception is subjective, varying by viewer, lighting, or photography. Some X comments suggest political bias influences these views, with critics linking his appearance to his beliefs. Without medical data, the reasons remain speculative, blending stress, genetics, and subjectivity”.
WHAT YEAR WAS HE BORN?
Ernst Roets was born in 1985 in Tzaneem in Limpopo. After matriculating in 2003, he pursued an LLB at the University of Pretoria.
In 2009, he married his wife Lelanie, the mother of his four sons.
In 2011, Ernst, then 26, was appointed as the Deputy CEO of AfriForum, an organisation promoting Afrikaner rights.
DO YOU THINK ERNST ROETS LOOKS OLDER THAN HIS AGE?
Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1.
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