Wed Feb 05 07:13:16 UTC 2025: ## Trump Threatens to Cut US Funding to South Africa Over Land Reform
**Johannesburg, South Africa** – US President Donald Trump has threatened to cut all US funding to South Africa, citing alleged illegal land grabs. This claim, however, is vehemently denied by the South African government.
Trump’s assertion, made on social media, is based on the false narrative that white South Africans are the victims of unlawful land confiscations. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa swiftly refuted this, stating that no government-sanctioned land seizures have occurred.
The controversy stems from South Africa’s recently adopted Expropriation Act, which aims to address historical land ownership disparities created by apartheid. The Act facilitates the state’s acquisition of land in the public interest, but only with the agreement of landowners. While it allows for expropriation without compensation in certain circumstances deemed “just and equitable,” it does not permit arbitrary seizures, according to the South African government and legal experts.
Land expert Tembeka Ngcukaitobi characterized the outcry over the Act as “mischievous,” emphasizing that it’s a process to streamline land acquisition for public use, not a tool for arbitrary land grabs. Claims of a “white genocide” or politically motivated attacks on white farmers, often cited in support of Trump’s allegations, have been repeatedly debunked by researchers. These claims have been amplified by groups like AfriForum, a right-wing lobby group representing Afrikaans-speaking white South Africans, which has actively lobbied in the US against South Africa’s land reform policies.
While acknowledging the need for land reform to address historical injustices and the ongoing inequality in land ownership (where a small white minority owns a disproportionate amount of farmland), South Africa maintains its commitment to the rule of law and a fair process.
Trump’s threat has sparked a mixed reaction in South Africa. While President Ramaphosa has opted for diplomatic engagement, Mineral Resources Minister Gwede Mantashe suggested retaliatory measures, including withholding mineral exports to the US. The potential economic consequences are significant, given the substantial trade between the two countries and the impact on South Africa’s currency and markets. The timing of Trump’s threat is also being analyzed in the context of other recent diplomatic tensions, including South Africa’s stance on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The situation highlights a clash of narratives around South Africa’s land reform efforts, fueled by misinformation and political maneuvering.
First Piper 