South Africa has condemned U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent decision to freeze aid to the country over a controversial land expropriation law. The South African government labeled the move as part of a “misinformation campaign” and rejected claims that the law permits the government to confiscate land from white farmers without compensation.
“We are concerned by what appears to be a campaign of misinformation and propaganda aimed at misrepresenting our nation,” the government stated on Saturday, as reported by France 24.
Land ownership remains a sensitive issue in South Africa, where much of the farmland is still owned by white farmers, even three decades after the end of apartheid.
The government defended the law, clarifying that it only provides a clearer legal framework for expropriation and does not introduce new policies. The law allows for land expropriation without compensation under fair and just conditions, with officials stressing that this will be applied only in specific situations.
Trump’s executive order, issued on Friday, argued that the law enables the South African government to seize land from Afrikaners—descendants of European settlers—without compensation. The order also criticized South Africa’s position on the Gaza conflict, particularly its genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice.
In response, South Africa’s foreign ministry accused the U.S. of ignoring the country’s historical struggle against colonialism and apartheid. Officials also pointed out the contradiction in Trump’s order, which offers refugee status to affected Afrikaners while his administration continues to deport vulnerable individuals from other regions.
The White House defended the decision, with State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce stating that “persecuted South African farmers” would be welcomed in the U.S., and that America would support those facing “expropriation without compensation and other intolerable abuses.”
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa dismissed the accusations, asserting that his country would not be “intimidated” by foreign pressure. In a national address, he warned against the rise of nationalism and protectionism in global politics.
On social media, many South Africans mocked the U.S. stance, with some humorously suggesting that Afrikaners might soon be called “Amerikaners.” Others downplayed concerns about mass land seizures, pointing out that most estates and private reserves remain under white ownership.
Afriforum, a small advocacy group for Afrikaners, welcomed Trump’s intervention but argued that white South Africans should stay in their homeland. According to 2022 data, white South Africans make up around seven percent of the population, with Afrikaners being a subset of this group.
Elon Musk, the South African-born billionaire and Trump ally, added to the controversy by accusing the South African government of enforcing “openly racist ownership laws.”
