Latest news with #LandExpropriation
The South African
25-05-2025
- Politics
- The South African
NO land expropriation in South Africa THIS YEAR
South Africa's Minister of Land Reform and Rural Development, Mzwanele Nyhontso, has reaffirmed that no land expropriation has taken place since the Land Expropriation legislation came into effect in January 2025, dispelling fears and misinformation circulating both locally and abroad. 'There is currently no land expropriation occurring on private properties, including farms,' said Nyhontso in a departmental statement. All land acquired under government programmes for land restitution and redistribution is done through fair, transparent, and legal processes, the Minister emphasised. 'The purchase of land from previous owners, particularly white owners, is based on negotiated agreements that uphold property rights and promote inclusive development and access to land.' The Minister's remarks follow statements by US President Donald Trump, who claimed that white South Africans were being subjected to land grabs and genocide. The South African government has firmly rejected these allegations as false and inflammatory. President Cyril Ramaphosa recently met with President Trump to address these concerns, reaffirm bilateral ties, and explore investment opportunities. During the talks, Ramaphosa stressed that criminal violence affects all South Africans, not just white citizens. 'Yes, there is criminality in our country, but the majority of victims are black South Africans,' said Ramaphosa, countering Trump's assertions and underscoring the complexity of the country's crime landscape. Since the launch of South Africa's land reform programme in 1995, the government has acquired approximately 3.9 million hectares of land – representing 2.5% of the national land mass – at a cost of around R26.6 billion. This land has been repurposed for a range of developmental objectives, including agriculture, tourism, forestry, and hospitality. The Department of Land Reform stressed that its focus remains on constitutional, economically viable, and socially responsible land reform. 'Minister Nyhontso wishes to emphasise that any other information and pronouncements contrary to the government's position on land reform are mischievous, false, and misleading,' the statement concluded. As land reform continues to be a sensitive and critical issue in South Africa, officials say the government will stay committed to engagement with all stakeholders, ensuring that land redistribution remains just, transparent, and aligned with the principles of the Constitution. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
Irish Times
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Irish Times
Ramaphosa to face into a storm when he meets Trump, whose list of grievances against South Africa is long
South African president Cyril Ramaphosa's meeting with Donald Trump in Washington on Wednesday could be a defining moment in US- South African affairs, given the fraught relationship both countries have endured in recent years. According to South Africa's presidency, Ramaphosa sought out the engagement with the US president 'to reset the strategic relationship between the two countries', which has deteriorated dramatically since Trump assumed office for his second term in January. The meeting at the White House comes over a week after the US welcomed 59 Afrikaners, a white minority group that controls much of South Africa's commercial agriculture, as 'refugees'. Trump has repeatedly claimed without evidence that Afrikaners face a 'genocide' in their home country because of their race and that the government is discriminating against them under its new land expropriation laws. Ramaphosa has outrightly denied these assertions and has accused the US president of spreading misinformation. READ MORE No political party or research group in South Africa has supported the claim that Afrikaners are facing a genocide. Attacks against members of the minority group, who are the descendants of South Africa's Dutch colonisers, are seen as part of the country's chronic crime problem that affects all communities. However, the difficulties between the two nations run far deeper than the disparate views on Afrikaners' treatment. The US is also at odds with Ramaphosa's administration over the genocide case it has taken against Israel at the International Court of Justice in The Hague. South Africa has accused Israel of committing crimes against humanity in Palestine during its war in Gaza against Hamas. In addition, Washington has taken umbrage with Pretoria in recent years over its desire to foster a multipolar world order and its refusal to cut ties with Iran, China and Russia. In response, South Africa has insisted the US will not dictate which countries it can have relationships with. Since coming to office Trump has cut all overseas aid to South Africa and hit the country's exporters with 31 per cent tariffs, citing its treatment of Afrikaners for its stance. There is also an expectation locally that South Africa will no longer benefit from the preferential trade it has received under the African Growth and Opportunity Act. The US legislation assists African exporters and is up for renegotiation later this year. Most South Africans believe the US has taken these decisions to punish South Africa for refusing to do its bidding. In the week leading up to Wednesday's meeting, South Africans have been left to wonder what kind of reception their president will receive in the Oval Office, given how poorly Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy was treated by the US president and the vice-president JD Vance in February. However, the hope is that Ramaphosa, who is well-known for his negotiation skills, can strike a trade agreement with Trump, as he places a high priority on business deals that are beneficial to his country. Institute for Security Studies senior researcher Priyal Singh said he hoped the Oval Office meeting would not turn into a 'US publicity stunt to hammer home a false narrative about South Africa, and that Ramaphosa must just sit there and take it'. But Singh is concerned about how the talks will unfold as both sides seem entrenched in their positions. 'I doubt there is much appetite within the government for South Africa to make meaningful concessions, and it is unclear what the US might offer Ramaphosa were he willing to compromise on any of the issues that are up for discussion,' he said.
South China Morning Post
15-05-2025
- Politics
- South China Morning Post
South Africa's President Ramaphosa to meet Trump in US on Wednesday over rising tensions
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa will meet US counterpart Donald Trump in Washington next week at a time of strained ties between the two countries, Pretoria said in a statement released late on Wednesday. Tensions have been rising for months over a range of policy issues, culminating this week in the United States resettling a first group of white Afrikaners that Trump claims are facing 'persecution' in South Africa. 'On Wednesday, 21 May 2025, President Ramaphosa will meet with President Donald Trump at the White House in Washington DC to discuss bilateral, regional and global issues of interest,' Ramaphosa's office said. The visit 'provides a platform to reset the strategic relationship between the two countries', it said. The US administration has torn into various South African policies, including its case against Israel at the International Court of Justice and a land expropriation law meant to redress historical inequalities that Washington alleges will allow the government to seize white-owned land. Trump essentially halted refugee arrivals after taking office but is making an exception for the Afrikaners – mainly descendants of Dutch settlers to South Africa – despite Pretoria's insistence that they do not face persecution in their homeland.
