‘Trump fed untruths; we are not beggars,’ SA responds to Trump

February 3, 2025 26

Political economy analyst, Daniel Silke, says it seems US president Donald Trump has been fed information by some of his Republican colleagues, including the likes of AfriForum, on issues of land in South Africa (SA).

Silke says Trump is not aware of the intricacies of the land expropriation policies in the country.

The American president created a storm when he took to social media, threatening to cut future funding for Pretoria until a full investigation into the land expropriation policies is complete.

He accused the government of confiscating land from certain classes of people and mistreating them.

My fellow South Africans,

Trump has a message for us.
Comment below. pic.twitter.com/g6qwzM7sy9

— VT (@VusiThembekwayo) February 3, 2025

Silke says Trump could have engaged South Africa on a more diplomatic level and not use harsh language.

He says ensuring good relations between Pretoria and Washington is not much about aid but SA potentially losing its African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) benefits, which could lead to thousands of people losing their jobs in various sectors, including in agriculture.

Silke says issues around land expropriation have been bubbling for many years in the country.

He says while it’s not true that the current government is using the Land Expropriation Act to take land from landowners, concerns that exist over the potential abuse of the legislation by another government that could take over from an ANC-led coalition are legitimate.

Political analyst, Professor Sam Koma, says Elon Musk may be influencing the US government’s policy direction towards South Africa.

The billionaire and owner of social media platform X was appointed to head the US’s new efficiency department.

Koma says it would be prudent for Ramaphosa to send a special envoy with the purpose to engage in a dialogue with American policy makers to iron out sticking points on policy matters.

Several political heads have meanwhile come out to defend Pretoria.

EFF leader, Julius Malema, has described Trump’s threats as offensive and says they undermine South Africa’s sovereignty.

According to Malema, the US President’s utterances are a reminder that the reliance on foreign aid, surrenders the country to the will of imperialists, who use money to dictate the economic and policy direction of Africa.

“We want to make it categorically clear to the President of the USA that we are going to expropriate land without compensation and pursue legislative measures to do so, and no threat will stop us. His misinterpretation of the Expropriation Act, which is a mild and cosmetic intervention, is an assessment of a measure that is going to be pursued through the amendment of our Constitution as South Africans, and there is nothing he can do to undermine our independence,” he adds.

Mineral Resources Minister, Gwede Mantashe, also didn’t mince his words in response to Washington.

He suggested that South Africa should withhold its mineral sales to the US should it decide to cut off funding to the country.

“We are not just beggars. If as a continent we are frightened and we fear everything, we are going to collapse, and we will collapse with minerals.”

ATM Leader, Vuyolwethu Zungula, says Pretoria should focus on leveraging its mineral resources instead of begging for validation and money from the USA.

We should focus on leveraging our mineral resources instead of begging for validation and money from the USA.

We are an independent country, we should strive by all means to be self-sufficient. First world countries have always used “aid” to undermine our domestic policies and…

— Vuyo Zungula MP 🇿🇦 (@ZungulaVuyo) February 3, 2025

Ramaphosa says he is looking forward to engaging with the Trump administration over land reform policy and issues of bilateral interest.

The President is, however, at a loss on what the American President is talking about, saying the only funding SA receives from the US is the PEPFAR Aid – which constitutes 17% of the country’s HIV and Aids programme.

South Africa is a constitutional democracy that is deeply rooted in the rule of law, justice and equality. The South African government has not confiscated any land.

The recently adopted Expropriation Act is not a confiscation instrument, but a constitutionally mandated legal…

— Cyril Ramaphosa 🇿🇦 (@CyrilRamaphosa) February 3, 2025

The CEO of AfriForum, Kallie Kriel, which has been lobbying America to sanction South Africa over alleged illegal occupation of land and farms, says senior ANC leaders must be punished by the US and not ordinary SA citizens.

He has called on government to urgently table an amendment bill to the Expropriation Act.