SA to Enter into Dialogue with Trump
PRESIDENT Cyril Ramaphosa has swiftly moved to counter claims made by US President Donald Trump, who warned that South Africa would face financial repercussions for “confiscating” land.
On Monday, the Presidency responded to Trump’s remarks made during an online Fox News interview when asked if he intended to reduce aid to various African nations.
Trump replied: “No. It’s only South Africa. Terrible things are happening in South Africa. The leadership is committing some terrible, horrible actions… So that’s currently under investigation. We’re making determinations, and until we understand what South Africa is doing…
“They are taking land away, they are confiscating land, and actually they are perhaps doing things that are far worse than that.”
On his Truth Social app, Trump also stated that “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!”
Trump was referring to the newly enacted Expropriation Act.
However, Ramaphosa’s spokesperson, Vincent Magwenya, asserted: “South Africa is a constitutional democracy grounded 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 tool, but a legally mandated process that ensures equitable public access to land as outlined by the constitution.
“Like the United States and many other countries, South Africa has expropriation laws aimed at balancing public land use with the protection of property owners’ rights.”
He indicated that South Africa is keen on dialogue with the Trump administration regarding land reform and matters of mutual interest, adding: “We look forward to discussions with the Trump administration concerning our land reform policy and bilateral issues. We are confident that these engagements will lead to a better mutual understanding of these matters.
“The US remains a vital strategic political and trade partner for South Africa.”
Magwenya noted, however, that aside from the (US) President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief funding (Pepfar), which has supported HIV/AIDs treatment in South Africa and elsewhere for many years, South Africa does not rely heavily on financial support from Washington.