South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has strongly rejected claims made by former U.S. President Donald Trump regarding land confiscation in South Africa.
Trump announced that the United States would cut off funding to South Africa until an investigation was conducted, alleging that the country was “confiscating” land and mistreating certain groups of people.
On Sunday, Trump posted on his Truth Social platform, stating, “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!”
Speaking to journalists later, Trump accused South Africa’s leadership of engaging in “terrible things, horrible things,” without providing specific examples. He added that his administration would investigate the matter and decide on further actions.
Ramaphosa responded on Monday through his X account, rejecting Trump’s claims. He noted that South Africa remains committed to democracy, the rule of law, and justice, emphasizing that no land had been confiscated.
He clarified that the recently adopted Expropriation Act was not a tool for land seizure but rather a legal framework that ensures fair land distribution in accordance with the constitution.
Ramaphosa also addressed Trump’s statement about cutting off U.S. funding to South Africa. He noted that while the U.S. is an important trade and political partner, the only direct U.S. financial assistance South Africa receives is through the PEPFAR program, which contributes 17% to the country’s HIV/AIDS response. He reiterated that South Africa does not rely on any other U.S. funding.
His post 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 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.
“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 U.S. remains a key strategic political and trade partner for South Africa. With the exception of PEPFAR Aid, which constitutes 17% of South Africa’s HIV/AIDS program, there is no other funding that is received by South Africa from the United States.”
The land issue in South Africa has long been a point of debate. The government has been working to address historical land inequalities dating back to the 1913 Natives Land Act, which saw thousands of Black families displaced from their land under the apartheid regime.
Last month, Ramaphosa signed a bill allowing the government to expropriate land under specific conditions, sometimes offering no compensation. The government insists that the law does not permit arbitrary land seizures and that property owners will always be consulted first. However, some critics fear that the policy could lead to land takeovers similar to those seen in Zimbabwe after 1980.
