South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa initiated a phone call with entrepreneur Elon Musk after tensions escalated with the new U.S. administration regarding a controversial land law. This call comes in the wake of remarks from U.S. President Donald Trump, who threatened to cut funding to South Africa over claims of land confiscation and alleged mistreatment of certain communities.
The South Africa-born Musk echoed Trump's sentiments, questioning on social media why South Africa maintains "openly racist ownership laws." In response, Ramaphosa's office emphasized that the president reaffirmed the nation's commitment to the principles of law, justice, and equality during their conversation.
The source of the discord lies in a recently enacted bill allowing for land expropriation without compensation under specific conditions deemed "just and equitable." Land reform has been a longstanding issue in South Africa, stemming from historical injustices during apartheid, where land ownership was predominantly held by the white minority.
In a recent statement, Ramaphosa insisted that his government has not confiscated any land, countering Trump's assertions made on his platform Truth Social, where Trump expressed concerns over South Africa's actions and claimed investigations were underway regarding potential abuses.
The bill is intended to address disparities from decades past, notably the 1913 Natives Land Act, which facilitated widespread land dispossession from the black majority. Critics of the new law fear it may mirror events in Zimbabwe, where similar confiscation led to economic turmoil.
The debate persists as South Africa grapples with finding equitable solutions to land ownership while managing international relations strained by the political dialogue over such reforms.
