Final month, South Africa adopted a invoice for the state to expropriate land to handle racial disparities in land possession after apartheid.
South Africa has refuted that it’s “confiscating” land unfairly, an accusation that United States President Donald Trump made, including he plans to chop all funding for the nation.
Trump on Sunday accused the South African authorities of “confiscating land” and treating “sure lessons of individuals” badly, with out elaborating or offering proof.
The US president had already introduced a short lived freeze on virtually all international help as a part of his “America First” agenda, pausing billions of {dollars} in international funding.
South Africa adopted a invoice for the state to expropriate land to handle racial disparities in possession.
Writing on Fact Social, Trump said: “I shall be chopping off all future funding to South Africa till a full investigation of this case has been accomplished!”
Later, in a briefing with journalists, he accused South Africa’s management, with out offering proof or particulars, of doing “some horrible issues, horrible issues”.
In response, South Africa’s Division of Worldwide Relations and Cooperation stated, “We belief President Trump’s advisers will make use of the investigative interval to realize an intensive understanding of South Africa’s insurance policies inside the framework of a constitutional democracy.
“It could develop into clear that our expropriation act isn’t distinctive, as many nations have related laws,” it added.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa additionally denied that the federal government is confiscating land.
“We look ahead to participating with the Trump administration over our land reform coverage and problems with bilateral curiosity. We’re sure that out of these engagements, we are going to share a greater and customary understanding over these issues,” Ramaphosa stated in an announcement.
“South Africa is a constitutional democracy that’s deeply rooted within the rule of legislation, justice and equality.”
President Ramaphosa added that, apart from the US Assist programme for AIDS reduction – PEPFAR, no different vital funding is offered to South Africa by the US.
South Africa is a constitutional democracy that’s deeply rooted within the rule of legislation, justice and equality. The South African authorities has not confiscated any land.
The lately adopted Expropriation Act isn’t a confiscation instrument, however a constitutionally mandated authorized…
— Cyril Ramaphosa 🇿🇦 (@CyrilRamaphosa) February 3, 2025
Elon Musk, who was born in South Africa however is now carefully allied to Trump, replied to Ramaphosa, writing, with out offering proof: “Why do you may have overtly racist possession legal guidelines?”
Final month, Ramaphosa signed a invoice into legislation that might make it simpler for the state to expropriate land within the public curiosity to handle racial disparities in land possession after apartheid in 1994.
In accordance with the federal government, the invoice doesn’t enable it to expropriate property arbitrarily; the landowner should attain an settlement.
