Monday, February 3, 2025 - South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has strongly criticized Donald Trump following the U.S. President's announcement to cut funding to South Africa over allegations of land confiscation and mistreatment of certain groups.
Trump declared on his Truth Social platform that he would
halt all future funding to South Africa pending an investigation, claiming the
nation was confiscating land and treating people unfairly. Trump later
described South Africa's leadership as engaging in "terrible" actions
but did not provide specific examples.
In response, Ramaphosa dismissed Trump’s claims, emphasizing
that South Africa is a constitutional democracy grounded in the rule of law,
justice, and equality. He stated that the government has not confiscated any
land and highlighted the recently enacted Expropriation Act, which he described
as a legal mechanism for equitable land reform under constitutional guidelines.
Ramaphosa further noted that South Africa has always had expropriation laws
similar to those in the U.S. and other nations.
Ramaphosa addressed the funding issue, pointing out that
South Africa only receives U.S. assistance through PEPFAR, which supports 17%
of the country’s HIV/AIDS program. He reiterated that no other funding is
received from the United States. The South African president expressed his
willingness to engage with the Trump administration to clarify the country’s
land reform policies and other bilateral issues, adding that such discussions
could foster mutual understanding.
In a fiery remark, Ramaphosa stated, "I don’t know what
Donald Trump has to do with South African land. South Africa does not belong to
Donald Trump. He must leave us alone. Stay out of our issues." He also
criticized Trump’s comments on land ownership, referencing the historical
seizure of indigenous lands in America.
President Ramaphosa also promised that whenever he sees
Trump he will tell him to his face that he’s the worst because his forebears
came to America and wiped out the indigenous people, grabbing their lands too.
He also stated that South African lands belong to those who live there and not
to Trump. He also noted that Trump should keep his America while they keep
their South Africa.
The land issue has been a long-standing and divisive topic
in South Africa. The 1913 Natives Land Act led to the displacement of thousands
of Black families under apartheid. Despite the end of apartheid three decades
ago, most farmland remains in white ownership. Efforts to redress this
imbalance through legal land reform have faced criticism, particularly from
conservative figures like Elon Musk, a South African-born billionaire, and
others with ties to Trump’s administration.
Ramaphosa recently signed a bill allowing the government to
offer "nil compensation" for property expropriated in the public
interest under specific circumstances. Pretoria has defended the law as a
balanced approach that requires negotiation with property owners, countering
fears of Zimbabwe-style land seizures without compensation.
The debate has attracted attention from prominent figures in
Silicon Valley with connections to apartheid-era southern Africa, including
Musk and PayPal co-founders David Sacks and Peter Thiel, both of whom have
faced criticism over their ties to Trump and controversial views on land
reform. The issue remains a polarizing topic in South Africa and
internationally.
Watch the video below
South Africa does not belong to DONALD TRUMP. He must leave us alone - President CYRIL RAMAPHOSA hits back at TRUMP for cutting off funding over claim of lands being confiscated in the country pic.twitter.com/4vkKBPOr3e
— DAILY POST 🇰🇪 (@dailypost_ke) February 3, 2025
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