The President of the United States, Donald Trump, announced that the United States will investigate the controversial land expropriation policies in South Africa and suspend all future aid to the country due to the ongoing dispute over the issue. This decision led to the devaluation of the South African currency.
In a post on the Truth Social platform on Sunday (February 2), Trump criticized the recent actions of the South African government, accusing them of unfairly confiscating land and mistreating certain segments of the population.
Trump stated, “The United States will not tolerate this, we will take action… Until a thorough investigation is conducted, I will cut off all future funding to South Africa!”
Following Trump’s remarks, the South African currency, the Rand, depreciated by 1.9%, falling to 19 Rand to the US dollar.
During a press briefing, Trump told reporters that the South African leadership is “doing some terrible, despicable things,” but did not provide specific examples.
“This matter is currently under investigation. We will make decisions once we figure out what South Africa is up to,” Trump said. “They are taking away and confiscating land, and what they are actually doing might be even worse than that.”
The issue of land in South Africa has long been a contentious topic. Actions aimed at addressing inequalities from the era of white minority rule have drawn criticism from some conservative figures, including the world’s richest person, Elon Musk. Musk, who was born in South Africa, is an influential advisor to President Trump.
Last month, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa signed a law that allows for the expropriation of property without compensation under certain circumstances for public interest purposes.
The South African government website stated, “Local, provincial and national authorities will use this legislation to expropriate land for various public interest purposes, including promoting inclusivity and access to natural resources.”
However, some groups are concerned that a situation similar to what happened in Zimbabwe, where white commercial farms were forcefully expropriated without compensation after independence in 1980, could arise.
In 2023, the last year for which data is available, the United States provided nearly $440 million in aid to South Africa.
Recently, President Trump ordered the State Department to suspend all foreign aid for 90 days for reassessment. The future of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) also remains uncertain. The USAID website has been shut down, and dozens of employees have been placed on leave.
Last month, at the World Economic Forum in Davos, President Ramaphosa told reporters that he is not worried about the relationship between the two countries. He stated that he has already had conversations with the Trump administration since Trump’s election and looks forward to working with the government.
South Africa currently holds the presidency of the G20.
During his first term, Trump had stated that the U.S. government would investigate allegations of widespread killings of white farmers in South Africa. The South African government denies these accusations.
Elon Musk, who was born in South Africa, shared a video in 2023 showing a far-left South African party singing an anti-apartheid song called “Kill the Boer.” Boer refers to the descendants of white immigrants from the Netherlands, France, and Germany in South Africa.
Musk criticized the video, stating, “They openly advocate for ethnic cleansing of white people in South Africa,” and tagged Ramaphosa, questioning why he “doesn’t say anything about it?”