The Lower Eastern Times Opening The Third Eye
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South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has said that South Africa is a constitutional democracy rooted in the rule of law, justice and equality. The South African government has not seized any land.
Mr. Ramaphosa was responding to remarks by US President Donald Trump who said he would cut his country’s funding to South Africa.
The US president said on Sunday, without citing evidence, that “certain segments of the population” in South Africa have been treated “very badly” and that he would cut off funding to the country until the matter was investigated.
“South Africa is a land grabber, and it treats certain classes of people very badly,” Trump said in a post on his Truth Social social media account.
“The United States will not stand by and take action. I will also cut off all future funding to South Africa until a full investigation into this situation is complete!”, said Trump.
Responding to this through his message on the X network, Ramaphosa said the recently passed expropriation law is not a tool for nationalization, but a constitutionally authorized legal process that ensures public access to land in an equitable and just manner as directed by the constitution.
South Africa, like the United States and other countries, has always had expropriation laws that balance the need for public land use with the protection of property owners’ rights.
We look forward to engaging with the Trump administration on our land reform policy and issues of mutual interest.
We are confident that through these activities, we will share a better and shared understanding on these matters.
Despite PEPFAR aid, which comprises 17% of South Africa’s AIDS program, South Africa receives no other funding from the United States.
