South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has reached out to billionaire Elon Musk in an attempt to ease tensions with the US following criticism over South Africa’s new land law.
The controversy erupted after US President Donald Trump accused South Africa of land confiscation and discriminatory policies, threatening to cut future funding. Musk, a South Africa-born tech mogul and Trump ally, also weighed in, questioning the country’s land ownership laws on X.
Ramaphosa, in his conversation with Musk, reaffirmed South Africa’s commitment to the rule of law, justice, and equality, emphasizing that the new law allows land expropriation only under specific conditions deemed fair and in the public interest.
The law, signed last month, permits land seizures without compensation in cases where the property is unused, poses a public risk, or is subject to historical land claims. This legislation aims to redress the legacy of apartheid-era land dispossession, where white landowners still control a significant portion of private farmland.
Trump, however, has insisted on a full investigation before reconsidering his stance, alleging that South African leadership is engaging in severe misconduct.
Land reform has been a longstanding issue in South Africa. The 1913 Natives Land Act restricted land ownership for the Black majority, reinforcing racial segregation. While apartheid ended in 1994, the process of redistributing land has been slow due to the “willing seller, willing buyer” policy. The new law seeks to accelerate the process in an equitable manner.
Despite international backlash, the South African government maintains that land reform is necessary to address historical injustices while upholding legal and constitutional principles.
