Former U.S. President Donald Trump has caused a controversy over South Africa’s land reform policies, threatening to cut all future U.S. funding to the country.
In a post on Truth Social on Sunday, February 3, 2025, Trump claimed that South Africa was “confiscating land, and treating certain classes of people VERY BADLY.”
He further stated that funding would be withheld “until there is a full investigation into this situation.”
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa responded on Monday, February 4, denying Trump’s allegations.
He wrote on X (formerly Twitter) that “South Africa is a constitutional democracy deeply rooted in the rule of law, justice, and equality. The South African government has not confiscated any land.”
He added that the government was open to discussions with the U.S. about land reform and bilateral interests.
Land ownership remains a contentious issue in South Africa, where White farmers, who make up a small percentage of the population, still control a significant portion of the land.
Apartheid-era policies forcefully removed Black South Africans from their land, and efforts to reverse this imbalance have been ongoing since the country’s first democratic elections in 1994.
On January 15, 2025, President Ramaphosa signed a new land expropriation bill, allowing the government to seize land without compensation in some instances. Ramaphosa defended the law, saying it is “not a confiscation instrument, but a legal process that ensures public access to land in an equitable and just manner as guided by the constitution.”
The U.S. government allocated approximately $440 million in assistance to South Africa in 2023, with a significant portion going to the PEPFAR HIV/AIDS relief program, which supports 17% of South Africa’s HIV/AIDS response. Ramaphosa dismissed Trump’s threat, stating that South Africa does not receive significant funding from the U.S. outside of PEPFAR.
South Africa’s Minister for International Relations, Ronald Lamola, also addressed Trump’s comments, urging his advisers to “use this investigative period to deepen their understanding of South Africa’s policies as a constitutional democracy.”
Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk, born in South Africa and one of Trump’s informal advisers, weighed in on the debate. Responding to Ramaphosa’s statement on X, Musk asked: “Why do you have openly racist ownership laws?”
Critics of the land reform law warn that it could discourage investment and harm South Africa’s economy, similar to what occurred in Zimbabwe in the early 2000s, when government-led land seizures led to economic collapse.
Some analysts believe South Africa’s ruling African National Congress (ANC) party could face legal challenges when attempting to implement the policy.
Trump’s renewed focus on South Africa comes as he positions himself for the 2024 U.S. presidential election, using the issue to rally his base, many of whom have expressed concerns about land reform policies affecting White farmers globally.
While South Africa has dismissed Trump’s claims, the dispute raises questions about land ownership, historical justice, and the role of the U.S. in foreign policy decisions affecting Africa.