South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has dismissed claims by Donald Trump that the country is “confiscating” land, stating that he is open to discussing his government’s land reform policy with the U.S.
Trump’s remarks appeared to reference a recently signed land expropriation law that allows the government to offer “nil compensation” for land in specific cases deemed to serve public interest. Land reform remains a heated issue in South Africa, as a large portion of farmland is still owned by white citizens, decades after apartheid ended.
Critics, including South African-born billionaire Elon Musk—one of Trump’s key allies—have voiced concerns over the policy. Trump also accused the South African government of mistreating certain groups and hinted at cutting U.S. funding to the country.
In response, Ramaphosa stated that no land has been confiscated, emphasizing that the new law follows constitutional guidelines and does not permit arbitrary seizures. He reassured that South Africa is committed to fair land redistribution and looks forward to discussions with the U.S. government to clarify misunderstandings.
He further clarified that aside from contributions from PEPFAR, which supports HIV/AIDS programs, the U.S. does not provide any major financial aid to South Africa. Despite Trump’s comments, Ramaphosa reaffirmed that the U.S. remains a key political and trade partner for the country.