South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on Monday addressed U.S. President Donald Trump’s accusations regarding land confiscation in South Africa and his threat to cut future funding. Trump had claimed that South Africa was “confiscating land” and “treating certain classes of people very badly,” leading him to announce the suspension of U.S. financial support until a full investigation is completed.
On Sunday, Trump posted on his Truth Social platform: “South Africa is confiscating land, and treating certain classes of people very badly. I will be cutting off all future funding to South Africa until a full investigation of this situation has been completed!”
Later, during a press briefing, Trump added that South Africa’s leadership was engaging in “some terrible things, horrible things,” without providing specific examples. “So, that’s under investigation right now. We’ll make a determination, and until such time as we find out what South Africa is doing–they’re taking away land and confiscating land, and actually, they’re doing things that are perhaps far worse than that,” he said.
In response, Ramaphosa clarified South Africa’s position on Monday via a post on X, emphasizing that the country, as a constitutional democracy, respects the rule of law and justice, and that the government has not “confiscated any land.”
Addressing the issue of funding, Ramaphosa acknowledged the United States as a vital “political and trade partner” but pointed out that South Africa only receives U.S. assistance through the PEPFAR program, which supports 17% of the country’s HIV/AIDS program. His tweet continued: “South Africa is a constitutional democracy that is deeply rooted in the rule of law, justice and equality. The South African Government has not confiscated any land. The recently adopted Expropriation Act is not a confiscation instrument, but a constitutionally mandated legal process that ensures public access to land in an equitable and just manner as guided by the constitution.”
Ramaphosa further explained that South Africa’s expropriation laws, like those in the U.S., balance public land use with the protection of property rights. He expressed hope for productive engagement with the Trump administration over South Africa’s land reform policy. “We look forward to engaging with the Trump administration over our land reform policy and issues of bilateral interest. We are certain that out of those engagements, we will share a better and common understanding of these matters.”
The land issue in South Africa remains a contentious one, with ongoing efforts to rectify the injustices of apartheid. As the country’s government works to address historic land inequalities, some critics, including conservative figures like Elon Musk, have expressed concern over land reforms. Musk, born in South Africa, has been a vocal advocate for white landowners in the country.
In December, Ramaphosa signed a bill permitting the government to expropriate land with “nil compensation” under specific conditions, a move that has sparked fears among some groups of an approach similar to Zimbabwe’s land seizures. However, the South African government insists that such expropriations would only occur after efforts to negotiate with property owners.
The issue of land ownership in South Africa remains a sensitive subject, with a significant portion of farmland still controlled by white individuals decades after the end of apartheid. While the government has worked to return land to Black families displaced by the apartheid regime, many believe more needs to be done to resolve the legacy of the 1913 Natives Land Act, which forcibly removed thousands of Black families from their land.
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