President Cyril Ramaphosa on Monday rejected former U.S. President Donald Trump’s claims that South Africa was “confiscating” land, stating he was prepared to clarify his government’s land reform policy.
Trump’s remarks seemingly referred to the land expropriation act signed by Ramaphosa last month, which allows the government, under specific conditions, to offer “nil compensation” for seized property in the public interest.
Land ownership remains a divisive issue in South Africa, as white farmers still own most farmland three decades after apartheid’s end. Efforts to address this disparity have drawn criticism from conservatives, including South Africa-born billionaire Elon Musk, a close Trump ally.
“The South African government has not confiscated any land,” Ramaphosa said, responding to Trump’s claims that the government was “treating certain classes of people VERY BADLY” and threatening to cut U.S. funding to South Africa.
According to the government, the law does not permit arbitrary expropriation and requires authorities to negotiate with property owners first.
“The recently adopted Expropriation Act is not a confiscation instrument,” Ramaphosa stated, describing it as a “constitutionally mandated legal process” aimed at equitable land access.
He added that South Africa was open to discussions with the Trump administration to foster a mutual understanding of land reform and other bilateral matters.
Ramaphosa further clarified that, apart from PEPFAR’s contributions to the country’s HIV/AIDS program—which account for 17% of its funding—South Africa does not receive significant financial aid from the U.S. He reaffirmed that the U.S. remains a key strategic political and trade partner.
Source: Swifteradio.com
