South African President Responds To Trump’s Threat To Cut Funding
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa responded on Monday to US President Donald Trump‘s criticism over land confiscation accusations, which led Trump to threaten cutting future aid to the African nation.
Trump had announced on Sunday that he would cut off all future funding to South Africa until an investigation into the alleged land confiscations and mistreatment of certain groups was completed.
Trump wrote 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, Trump claimed in a press briefing that South Africa’s leadership was committing “terrible things, horrible things,” but provided no specific examples.
He added, “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.”
Ramaphosa, through his X account, rejected the claims, stating that South Africa is a constitutional democracy that adheres to the rule of law.
He further clarified that the South African government had not confiscated any land.
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Ramaphosa’s tweets read, “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 president explained that the Expropriation Act is a constitutional law designed to ensure equitable land access, not a confiscation tool.
He emphasized that the law balances land usage for the public while protecting property owners’ rights.
He continued, “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.”
Regarding Trump’s threat to cut funding, Ramaphosa pointed out that South Africa’s only significant US aid comes through the PEPFAR program, which funds 17% of the country’s HIV/AIDS programme.
He clarified, “South Africa, like the United States of America and other countries, has always had expropriation laws that balance the need for public usage of land and the protection of rights of property owners. 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 US remains a key strategic political and trade partner for South Africa. 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.”
The land issue in South Africa has long been controversial, with efforts to address land inequality, a legacy of apartheid, continuing to spark debate.
In December, Ramaphosa signed a bill that allows the government to expropriate land without compensation under certain conditions, though this policy aims to prevent arbitrary seizures by first seeking to reach agreements with landowners.
Some groups fear it could lead to outcomes similar to Zimbabwe’s land grabs.
While South Africa’s land reform is a significant political issue, it has been criticized by conservatives, including South African-born Elon Musk, a prominent Trump adviser.
Despite these concerns, the government insists that its land reform policies are legal and designed to remedy historical injustices.
Titilope Adako is a talented and intrepid journalist, dedicated to shedding light on the untold stories of Osun State and Nigeria. Through incisive reporting, she tackles a broad spectrum of topics, from politics and social justice to culture and entertainment, with a commitment to accuracy, empathy, and inspiring positive change.
