South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has responded to former U.S. President Donald Trump’s claims that South Africa is confiscating land and treating some groups unfairly. Trump had threatened to cut U.S. funding to South Africa over these allegations.
Trump made the comments on Sunday via his social media platform, Truth Social, saying, “”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!”
In a follow-up with reporters, Trump added that South African leaders were “doing terrible things” but did not provide specific examples.
On Monday, Ramaphosa responded on his X account, saying, “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.”
He clarified that South Africa’s recent Expropriation Act is not about taking land forcefully. Instead, it is a legal process guided by the constitution to ensure fair access to land for all citizens.
Regarding the funding threat, Ramaphosa explained that South Africa receives U.S. funding mainly through the PEPFAR programme, which supports 17% of the country’s HIV/AIDS efforts. “With the exception of PEPFAR Aid, which constitutes 17% of South Africa’s HIVAids programme, there is no other funding that is received by South Africa from the United States,” he stated.
Land Reform in South Africa
Land ownership remains a sensitive issue in South Africa. Most farmland is still owned by white people, even 30 years after apartheid ended. The government has been working to correct this imbalance, but some fear it could lead to situations like Zimbabwe’s land seizures after 1980.
Last month, Ramaphosa signed a law allowing the government to expropriate land without compensation in specific cases. However, the government insists this will not be done unfairly, and efforts will be made to reach agreements with landowners first.
Trump’s comments have sparked international debate. Notably, South African-born billionaire Elon Musk and other conservatives have criticized South Africa’s land policies. Despite these concerns, Ramaphosa remains confident that discussions with U.S. officials will clear up misunderstandings.
Ramaphosa concluded that the nation looks forward to engaging with the U.S. on land reform and other important matters.
