Ramaphosa rejects Trump’s land seizure claims in South Africa

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Johannesburg, South Africa – South African President Cyril Ramaphosa dismissed former U.S. President Donald Trump’s allegations on Monday that the government was seizing land from White farmers.

AfricaHeadline Reports Team
editorial@dw-demosnewstaion.online 

In a post on X, Ramaphosa stated that “South Africa is a constitutional democracy deeply rooted in the rule of law, justice, and equality” and that “the government has not confiscated any land.” His remarks followed Trump’s threat to cut U.S. funding to the country until an investigation was conducted into the alleged land expropriations.

Land reform remains a contentious issue in South Africa. During apartheid, millions of Black South Africans were forcibly removed from their land to benefit the White minority.

Since the country’s transition to democracy in 1994, efforts to redistribute land have progressed slowly. In January, Ramaphosa signed a new law allowing land expropriation without compensation in certain cases, but he stressed that the measure is not a “confiscation instrument” but a legal framework ensuring “equitable land access” under the constitution.

Trump previously raised similar concerns in 2018, citing threats against White farmers. However, the U.S. does not provide significant funding to South Africa, apart from a major HIV/AIDS relief program.

While the ruling African National Congress (ANC) argues that land reform is necessary to correct historical injustices, legal experts warn that implementing the new law could face constitutional challenges due to protections against uncompensated expropriation.