Trump Freezes South Africa's Aid

US President Donald Trump executed an executive order  that aims to freeze assistance to South Africa over a controversial law that permits the government to seize farmland from ethnic minorities — particularly White farmers — without compensation, as well as regarding the country’s stance against Israel and its conflict in Gaza.

Trump stated in the order that the United States would no longer support South Africa with foreign aid if such policies, which he asserts reveal a “shocking disregard for its citizens” and amount to “human rights violations,” persist, instructing US agencies to cease providing any aid to South Africa unless it is deemed necessary.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has previously denied that South African authorities were “confiscating land” and mentioned that his country was looking forward to collaborating with the Trump administration “over our land reform policy.”

Trump’s order also instructs the United States to assist Afrikaners — an ethnic group descended from European settlers — who are fleeing South Africa due to discrimination, including aiding them resettle through refugee programs.

“It is the policy of the United States that, as long as South Africa continues these unjust and immoral practices that harm our Nation, the United States shall not provide aid or assistance to South Africa; and the United States shall promote the resettlement of Afrikaner refugees escaping government-sponsored race-based discrimination, including racially discriminatory property confiscation,” the order stated.

South Africa’s foreign ministry labeled the order a “great concern” and claimed it “(lacked) factual accuracy and fails to recognize South Africa’s profound and painful history of colonialism and apartheid,” adding that the action seemed “to be a campaign of misinformation and propaganda aimed at misrepresenting our great nation.”

“It is ironic that the executive order makes provision for refugee status in the US for a group in South Africa that remains among the most economically privileged, while vulnerable people in the US from other parts of the world are being deported and denied asylum despite real hardship,” the foreign ministry added in a statement Saturday.

In the past, racist policies forcefully removed Black and non-White South Africans from land so that White individuals could utilize it. There has been a land redistribution and restitution provision in the country’s constitution since South Africa emerged from its apartheid era and held its first democratic elections in 1994.

Unemployment and poverty, however, remain acute among Black South Africans, who account for around 80% of the population, yet own a fraction of the land. In January, Ramaphosa signed a bill into law that outlines new guidelines for land expropriation, including enabling the government to expropriate land without compensation in certain cases.

According to the US Foreign Assistance website, the country indicated it would send nearly $440 million in assistance to South Africa in 2023, including more than $270 million just from the Agency for International Development (USAID).

The executive order comes as the Trump administration has already frozen almost all foreign assistance and made moves to dismantle USAID.

Trump also mentioned in his order that South Africa had taken an aggressive stance against the United States and its allies through its position on Israel and has been reinvigorating ties with Iran.

South Africa accused Israel of committing genocide in an unprecedented case at the United Nations’ top court, the International Court of Justice (ICJ). It asserted that Israel’s leadership was “intent on destroying the Palestinians in Gaza” and called for the court to order a halt to Israel’s military campaign in the enclave.

Trump has previously asserted he would halt funding until there was a full investigation into allegations that “South Africa is confiscating land and treating certain classes of people very badly,” without citing evidence.

Ramaphosa also spoke to Trump’s “first buddy” and South African-born Elon Musk earlier this week “on issues of misinformation and distortions about South Africa,” emphasizing South Africa’s constitutionally embedded values of respect for the rule of law, justice, fairness, and equality,” a government statement at the time read.