Johannesburg, South Africa — United States President Donald Trump this week threatened to cut all funding to South Africa over what he claims are illegal land grabs by authorities in Pretoria.
Trump’s assertion is grounded in the myth that white South Africans are the targets of unlawful land confiscations, something South Africa’s government has vehemently denied.
“South Africa is confiscating land, and treating certain classes of people VERY BADLY,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post on Sunday. “The United States won’t stand for it, we will act. Also, I will be cutting off all future funding to South Africa until a full investigation of this situation has been completed!”
In response, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa swiftly denied any government-sanctioned land seizures, saying on X: “The South African government has not confiscated any land.”
Last month South Africa adopted the Expropriation Act, a law helping the state take back land that’s in the public interest, with agreement, to address disparities in ownership that were caused by decades of racist apartheid rule.
Ramaphosa defended the law, explaining that it serves to facilitate public access to land rather than act as a “confiscation instrument”.
“South Africa, like the United States of America and other countries, has always had expropriation laws that balance the need for public usage of land and the protection of the rights of property owners,” Ramaphosa elaborated in a statement following Trump’s comments.
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
Amid the debate, South Africa-born billionaire and Trump’s close adviser Elon Musk also weighed in, accusing Ramaphosa’s government of “openly racist ownership laws” while South Africa’s mineral resources minister said if Trump cuts off funding, South Africa should consider withholding mineral exports to the US.
So, what’s behind South Africa’s land policy, are certain groups really being targeted in the country, and why has Trump made these comments now? Here’s what to know:
What is land expropriation, and why is it happening?
The Expropriation Act was signed into law by Ramaphosa in January. It would make it easier for the state to expropriate some land with the aim of addressing racial disparities in ownership after apartheid in 1994.
South Africa’s government says the law does not allow it to expropriate property arbitrarily, and that the landowner must reach an agreement.
The government asserts that the law enables a “constitutionally mandated legal process” and that it allows for expropriation without compensation in circumstances deemed “just and equitable and in the public interest”.
Commenting on the implementation of the Expropriation Act, land expert and South African lawyer Tembeka Ngcukaitobi said it is a legislative process designed to streamline government access to land for public interest.