“No land has been seized by us,” Ramaphosa, the president of South Africa, disputes Trump’s assertion
Ramaphosa Refutes Trump’s Claims on Land Confiscation, Offers to Clarify South Africa’s Land Reform Policy
President Cyril Ramaphosa has rejected allegations made by former U.S. President Donald Trump that South Africa is “confiscating” land, asserting his willingness to explain the country’s land reform policy.
Trump’s comments seemingly referred to the Expropriation Act, signed by Ramaphosa last month, which allows the government, under specific circumstances, to offer “nil compensation” for land expropriated in the public interest. The legislation, aimed at addressing historical land inequality, has drawn criticism from some conservative figures, including South African-born billionaire Elon Musk, a key Trump ally.
“The South African government has not confiscated any land,” Ramaphosa said in response to Trump’s claims, which included accusations of “treating certain classes of people VERY BADLY” and threats to cut U.S. funding to South Africa.
Ramaphosa emphasized that the act is not a tool for arbitrary land seizures but a lawful, constitutionally guided process aimed at promoting equitable land access.
“The recently adopted Expropriation Act is not a confiscation instrument,” his statement read. “It is a constitutionally mandated legal process that ensures public access to land in an equitable and just manner as outlined in the constitution.”
He expressed South Africa’s readiness to engage with the Trump administration to address concerns over land reform and other bilateral issues.
“We are confident that these discussions will lead to a better and mutual understanding of the matters at hand,” Ramaphosa added.
Ramaphosa also clarified that U.S. contributions to South Africa are limited, with the exception of the PEPFAR anti-HIV/AIDS initiative, which accounts for 17% of the nation’s HIV/AIDS program. “There is no other significant funding provided by the United States in South Africa,” the statement noted.
