A heated debate over South Africa’s Expropriation Act has spilled onto the international stage, with political parties pushing back against what they say are misleading claims that have influenced former U.S. President Donald Trump’s stance on the issue.
Trump recently took to social media to accuse the South African government of “confiscating land” and targeting specific groups, warning of possible economic consequences.
His comments have sparked widespread concern over the potential loss of crucial U.S. funding, particularly through the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), which provides hundreds of millions of dollars annually for HIV/AIDS treatment and other humanitarian programs.
Parties Respond to Trump’s Comments
The ANC has responded forcefully to Trump’s remarks, denouncing what they describe as a deliberate misinformation campaign by right-wing lobby groups.
The ANC condemned the role of AfriForum, a South African lobby group that has actively campaigned in the United States against land reform, accusing it of using fear-mongering tactics to protect apartheid-era land ownership patterns. The party emphasized that South Africa’s land reform program is both constitutional and necessary to address historical injustices.
“The ANC will not tolerate racist distortions aimed at undermining our national sovereignty and transformation agenda,” the party said in a statement, calling on global stakeholders to reject AfriForum’s “divisive agenda.”
AFRIFORUM’S RACIST AGENDA FUELS MISINFORMATION ON SOUTH AFRICA’S LAND REFORM pic.twitter.com/vuljrkMTjO
— ANC SECRETARY GENERAL | Fikile Mbalula (@MbalulaFikile) February 3, 2025
ALSO READ: Ramaphosa responds to Trump’s funding cut threats
Meanwhile, the DA, which has been vocal about property rights, clarified that the Expropriation Act does not allow for arbitrary land seizures.
DA leader John Steenhuisen warned that misinterpretations of the law could have real economic consequences, particularly if they result in the loss of U.S. funding.
“It would be a tragedy if this funding were terminated because of a misunderstanding of the facts,” Steenhuisen said, reaffirming his party’s support for diplomatic engagement with the U.S. government.
Property rights are foundational to the success of our economy and the DA will always fight to ensure they are fully protected. We successfully opposed any change to Section 25 of the constitution, which protects property rights, and we will continue to work to ensure the…
— John Steenhuisen MP (@jsteenhuisen) February 3, 2025
The GOOD party has gone a step further, calling for those responsible for spreading misinformation to face consequences.
GOOD Secretary General Brett Herron accused groups such as AfriForum, Solidarity, the Freedom Front Plus, and even the DA of deliberately misleading foreign governments to block post-apartheid transformation efforts.
“Appealing to U.S. lawmakers to punish South Africa is an anti-democratic act that has the effect of economic treason,” Herron said. He noted that the Expropriation Act is yet to be implemented and contains specific legal safeguards, ensuring fair compensation in most cases.
There must be consequences for those entities who’ve deliberately engaged in ECONOMIC TREASON by engaging with Washington power brokers and peddling disinformation about “land confiscation” & “human rights abuses”. https://t.co/EZcQeuhLOX
— Brett Herron 🇿🇦🍉 (@brettherron) February 3, 2025
Meanwhile, EFF leader Julius Malema has only added fuel to the fire, stating at a briefing: “We want to make it categorically clear to the President of the USA that we are going to expropriate land without compensation and pursue legislative measures to do so—and no threat will stop us.”
MALEMA: We want to make it categorically clear to the President of the USA that we are going to expropriate land without compensation and pursue legislative measures to do so, and no threat will stop us. His misinterpretation of the Expropriation Act, which is a mild and cosmetic…
— Economic Freedom Fighters (@EFFSouthAfrica) February 3, 2025
Afriforum Chief Executive Kallie Kriel has said that Afriforum will “officially request the USA to directly punish senior ANC leaders and not the people of South Africa.”
“We, as ordinary citizens, are already being punished by a hostile and foolish government and @PresidencyZA in South Africa and do not want to be punished as well.”
.@AfriForum vra Trump om eerder ANC-leiers as Suid-Afrika te straf – https://t.co/uUfcq2d5C6
— AfriForum (@afriforum) February 3, 2025
Following President Cyril Ramaphosa’s statement on the issue, in which he addresses Trump’s assertions, Elon Musk also entered the fray, claiming that South Africa has racist ownership laws:
Why do you have openly racist ownership laws? https://t.co/tHWVsmB04F
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 3, 2025
Ramaphosa’s spokesperson Vincent Magwenya responded on X, calling on Musk, who exercises enormous influence over Trump, to engage in constructive dialogue:
My brother, you would know that owing to a devastating legacy of centuries of oppressive and brutal colonialism and apartheid, our constitution provides for redressing the ills of the past. You have his number, we started the dialogue, so let’s continue talking constructively.
— Vincent Magwenya 🇿🇦 (@SpokespersonRSA) February 3, 2025
Land reform remains one of South Africa’s most sensitive political issues, with ongoing debates about how best to address historical dispossession while maintaining investor confidence.
The Expropriation Act, which replaces an older law, sets out conditions under which land can be expropriated for public interest, a practice that exists in many democracies, including the United States under its 5th Amendment “eminent domain” principle.
