US President Trump Freezes Aid to South Africa, Gives 2 Reasons
- US President Donald Trump has finally taken strong action against South Africa over the land expropriation law, pausing aid to the country
- The US president also pointed to South Africa’s accusations against Israel at the ICJ and its growing ties with Iran as reasons for his decision
- In response, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa defended the law and stated that his country would not be bullied
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Washington DC, United States - US President Donald Trump has carried out his threat to suspend aid to South Africa, a move that escalates tensions with Pretoria over a recently signed land expropriation law aimed at addressing apartheid-era inequality.
Trump paused aid to South Africa via an executive order he signed on Friday, February 7.
Source: Getty Images
Why I paused aide to South Africa - Trump
In the executive order, Trump said the South African law demonstrated a "shocking disregard" for citizens' rights.
The 47th president of the United States claimed the law would enable the South African government to seize land from Afrikaner landowners without compensation.
Legit.ng gathers that the Expropriation Act was signed in January by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa.
Trump claimed the law is part of "countless policies" that undermine equal opportunity and fuel violence against "racially disfavoured" landowners in South Africa, according to Al Jazeera.
Trump accuses South Africa of going against US foreign policies
Trump also cited South Africa’s “aggressive positions” towards the United States and its allies for his decision to cut aid.
He pointed to Pretoria’s accusations of genocide against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and its strengthened ties with Iran as factors as part of the reasons for the executive order.
“The United States cannot support the government of South Africa’s commission of rights violations in its country or its undermining United States foreign policy, which poses national security threats to our Nation, our allies, our African partners, and our interests,” the US president said in the order.
Trump says US will support resettlement of Afrikaners
Trump’s executive order also announced plans to assist with the resettlement of Afrikaners due to “government-sponsored race-based discrimination.”
The dispute between Trump and Ramaphosa escalated earlier in the week when the US president accused South Africa’s government of “confiscating land” and discriminating against certain communities.
It was gathered that the US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said he would boycott the upcoming Group of 20 (G20) summit in Johannesburg in response to the legislation and other “very bad things” happening in the country.
Ramaphosa defends law, rejects US interference
Meanwhile, Ramaphosa has repeatedly defended the law, insisting it is a “constitutionally mandated legal process” rather than an instrument of confiscation.
Speaking in parliament recently, the South African leader pushed back against US criticism, saying his government remains committed to ensuring fair access to land.
“We will not be deterred. We are a resilient people. We will not be bullied,” Ramaphosa declared, in what appeared to be a veiled reference to Trump.
Under the new law, the government may expropriate land without compensation if deemed “just and equitable and in the public interest,” such as when land is unused and negotiations with the owner fail.
Legit.ng gathers that the law is intended to redress stark disparities in land ownership stemming from colonial rule and apartheid-era policies.
Reacting to Trump's move, Nigerian ex-senator and activist, Shehu Sani, said:
"The South African land reform policy is the business and internal affairs of South Africa. Trump shouldn’t dictate to an African country what laws it should make or unmake.
"His philosophy is America first, then why not let others make their countries first too. Threatening and bullying countries with tariffs and withdrawal of aid is not in the best interest of global peace and stability.
"They are simply using the land issue as an excuse to punish South Africa for BRICS. The message now is that African states must tighten their belts and think of alternatives. I really miss Robert Mugabe at times like this."
South Africans affected by Trump's order
Meanwhile, Trump’s 90-day foreign aid freeze has left many South Africans without essential HIV treatment stranded, affecting a quarter of global cases.
Vulnerable groups, including transgender individuals, struggle to find alternative healthcare as USAID-funded clinics shut down.
Civil society groups have warned that nearly a million patients are at risk, urging the South African government to address the escalating health emergency.
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Source: Legit.ng
