Dispute over expropriation

Trump offers South African farmers US citizenship

(Bild: APA/AFP/ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS)

US President Donald Trump wants to accept farmers who have been dispossessed in South Africa as refugees and promises them quick naturalization. South Africa is terrible, even to long-time farmers in the country, Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. South Africa is confiscating their land and doing even worse. Trump's close associate, tech billionaire Elon Musk, is a native South African.

Any farmer and his family who wanted to flee the country for safety reasons would be welcome in the United States and given a fast track to citizenship. "This process will begin immediately!" wrote Trump.

South Africa has passed a law that allows land to be expropriated in the public interest to compensate for injustices that occurred during the racist apartheid era (1948-1994). At that time, land was systematically distributed unequally along ethnic lines, especially to white South Africans. The effects are still being felt today. The law provides for compensation payments for landowners. Expropriations may only take place if previous acquisition negotiations have been unsuccessful.

Washington already froze aid at the beginning of February
Washington had already frozen aid for South Africa at the beginning of February because of the law. In an executive order at the time, Trump accused the government in Pretoria of "unjust and immoral practices". He instructed all US government agencies to end economic and development policy support for South Africa. In response, South Africa accused the USA of "a campaign of disinformation and propaganda".

"Victims of unjust racial discrimination"
Trump went on to say that the USA would end all foreign aid to South Africa. The corresponding commitments amounted to 323 million dollars (299.18 million euros) in 2024. At the beginning of February, Trump declared that certain sections of society in South Africa were being treated very badly. The descendants of European settlers were "victims of unjust racial discrimination". This was triggered by a law in South Africa that is intended to tackle the unequal distribution of farmland. Four percent of this land belongs to black people, who make up 80 percent of the population.