South African President, Cyril Ramaphosa, has pushed back against United States President, Donald Trump’s claims that the country is confiscating land and mistreating certain groups.
This comes after Trump announced he would suspend U.S. funding to South Africa pending an investigation into the matter.
Taking to his Truth Social platform on Sunday, Trump stated, “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, speaking to reporters, Trump intensified his criticism, saying, “South Africa’s leadership is doing some terrible things, horrible things,” though he did not provide specifics.
“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,” he added.
In response, Ramaphosa dismissed the accusations, emphasizing that South Africa adheres to the principles of democracy, rule of law, and equity.
Writing on his X handle on Monday, he clarified that no land has been confiscated under his administration.
“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,” Ramaphosa stated.
Addressing concerns over land policies, he explained, “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.”
He also pointed out that expropriation laws exist in many countries, including the United States.
“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.”
On Trump’s threat to cut financial support, Ramaphosa downplayed the impact, acknowledging the U.S. as an important trade partner but clarifying that South Africa only benefits from one specific U.S. aid program.
“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.”
Land Reform: A Longstanding Debate
The issue of land ownership in South Africa has been a contentious one for decades. Efforts to address historical land dispossession have drawn scrutiny from conservative figures, including billionaire Elon Musk, who was born in South Africa.
Just last month, Ramaphosa signed a new bill allowing the government, under certain conditions, to offer “nil compensation” for expropriated land deemed necessary for public interest. However, the government insists that the law does not permit arbitrary land seizures and that due process will always be followed.
Critics, however, fear a repeat of Zimbabwe’s land seizures, where white-owned farms were taken without compensation, leading to economic turmoil.
The debate has been particularly intense among right-wing figures, with Musk and others voicing concerns over land ownership rights.
Musk, who was born in Pretoria in 1971 and later moved to the U.S., has previously weighed in on South African policies.
Trump’s circle includes several influential figures with ties to southern Africa, including PayPal co-founders David Sacks and Peter Thiel, both of whom spent time in the region.
Thiel, in particular, has faced accusations of sympathizing with apartheid-era policies, though a spokesperson has denied these claims.
As the diplomatic row unfolds, all eyes will be on future engagements between the U.S. and South Africa regarding land reform and bilateral relations.
