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President Donald Trump accused South Africa of “confiscating land” in a social media put up and minimize help to them, prompting that nation’s authorities to fireside again with a denial.
The nation of South Africa is the newest goal of President Donald Trump’s wrath, as he falsely attacked the nation in a put up on Fact Social Sunday night time (Feb. 2). “South Africa is confiscating land, and treating sure lessons of individuals VERY BADLY,” he wrote, persevering with by stating that he could be chopping off help as a response: “I can be chopping off all future funding to South Africa till a full investigation of this example has been accomplished!” South African President Cyril Ramaphosa briskly denied the allegation in a put up on X, previously Twitter, writing: “South Africa is a constitutional democracy that’s deeply rooted within the rule of regulation, justice and equality. The South African authorities has not confiscated any land.”
https://x.com/CyrilRamaphosa/standing/1886319401101910311
Trump would repeat the declare to journalists, and allegations have been echoed by his backer, tech billionaire Elon Musk (who was born in Pretoria, South Africa, in 1971) who wrote in a put up on X that South Africa had “overtly racist possession legal guidelines.” Musk, by means of his actions with the Division of Authorities Effectivity (DOGE), has already introduced the shutdown of the United States Company for Worldwide Growth (USAID), claiming it was a joint choice with Trump. David Sacks, the billionaire PayPal co-founder and Trump ally, additionally hails from South Africa.
Land possession in South Africa has been a hotly contested concern for over a century for the reason that British restricted Black possession of land starting in 1913 with the Natives Land Act, transferring massive swaths of land to white settlers together with, the Afrikaner group and confining Black individuals to townships and homelands. At present, Black individuals (who compose 80% of the inhabitants) represent 4% of landowners in South Africa, whereas three-quarters of the land is owned by whites who represent 8% of the inhabitants.
Trump has spoken out about this concern earlier than in his first time period, however having Musk as a supporter means that he’s inclined to be extra aggressive in chopping off help. Members of the African Nationwide Congress, the ruling occasion in South Africa, have additionally pointed to the right-wing AfriForum group as having lobbied Trump and others within the U.S. AfriForum, who represents the Afrikaner inhabitants in South Africa, has fought for Ramaphosa to alter the brand new regulation however has opposed Trump’s proposed elimination of help to the nation.