Trump Halts U.S. Funding to South Africa Amid Land Policy Dispute


U.S. President Donald Trump has announced the suspension of all future U.S. funding to South Africa, citing concerns over alleged human rights violations linked to the country’s new land expropriation law. Trump made the declaration on Truth Social, stating that South Africa is “confiscating land and treating certain classes of people very badly.”

Trump’s move follows long-standing claims that the South African government is unfairly targeting white landowners. However, President Cyril Ramaphosa has refuted these allegations, stating that the Expropriation Act is aimed at redressing historical land injustices from the apartheid era and does not involve racial discrimination.

The South African government emphasized that the law is not a tool for land confiscation but ensures that land is allocated equitably and justly in the public interest. Foreign Minister Ronald Lamola urged the U.S. to conduct its investigation thoroughly to gain a better understanding of South Africa’s constitutional policies.

Trump’s decision could have significant implications, as the U.S. provides $400 million annually to South Africa under the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). This funding supports HIV/AIDS programs, which are now at risk due to Trump’s broader freeze on foreign aid.

Elon Musk, a South African-born billionaire and Trump ally, has also criticized the South African government, previously accusing it of being anti-white and supporting a “genocide” against white farmers. However, experts argue that South Africa’s high crime rate affects all racial groups and is not uniquely targeted at white farmers.

Trump has previously raised similar concerns, and in 2018, he called for an investigation into alleged land seizures in South Africa, which was widely criticized as misinformation.

While the land reform law remains a contentious issue, analysts warn that cutting U.S. aid could have a severe economic and social impact on the country, particularly affecting vulnerable communities reliant on American funding.

Source: africanews

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