"WE HAVE NOT CONFISCATED ANY LAND," SOUTH AFRICAN PRESIDENT RAMAPHOSA DENIES TRUMP'S CLAIM

Jan 28, 2025 10:40 AM

President Cyril Ramaphosa refuted claims made by Donald Trump on Monday, asserting that South Africa is not "confiscating" land. He expressed his willingness to explain his government's land reform policy to his US counterpart.


Trump's remarks seemed to reference a land expropriation act signed by Ramaphosa last month, which allows the government, under certain conditions, to offer "nil compensation" for property seized in the public interest. Land ownership remains a contentious issue in South Africa, with the majority of farmland still owned by white individuals three decades after the end of apartheid. Efforts to address this inequality have faced criticism from conservatives, including South Africa-born Elon Musk, the world's wealthiest person and a key Trump adviser.


"The South African government has not confiscated any land," Ramaphosa stated in response to Trump's accusations, which included claims of the government "treating certain classes of people VERY BADLY" and threats to cut funding to the country.


The government maintains that the bill does not permit arbitrary expropriation of property and requires authorities to seek an agreement with the owner first.


"The recently adopted Expropriation Act is not a confiscation instrument," Ramaphosa's statement clarified.


It is a "constitutionally mandated legal process that ensures public access to land in an equitable and just manner as guided by the constitution."


"We look forward to engaging with the Trump administration over our land reform policy and issues of bilateral interest," the statement continued.


"We are confident that through these engagements, we will achieve a better and common understanding of these matters."


Ramaphosa's statement also noted that, aside from aid from the PEPFAR anti-HIV/AIDS initiative, which constitutes 17 percent of South Africa's HIV/AIDS program, "there is no other significant funding provided by the United States in South Africa."


"The US remains a key strategic political and trade partner for South Africa," the statement concluded.

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