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Trump advises Sec of State to closely watch South Africa’s “land and farm seizures”

Donald Trump has asked Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to “closely study the South Africa land and farm seizures and expropriations and large scale killing of farmers”. Trump’s “divisive” comments have set tongues wagging on social media, criticised and rejected by the South African government.

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US President Donald Trump this week revealed that he has asked Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to “closely study the South Africa land and farm seizures”.

In a Twitter message, Trump posted, “I have asked Secretary of State @SecPompeo to closely study the South Africa land and farm seizures and expropriations and large scale killing of farmers”.

Trump’s tweet and his advice to his Secretary of State appear to have been in response to Fox News report on land expropriation in South Africa. The news report was titled “Inside South Africa’s racist land seizures”. A preview of the seven minute video reads: “‘Tucker Carlson Tonight’ exclusive: South African president Cyril Ramaphosa has just begun the process of seizing land from his own citizens, without compensation, purely due to their skin color. That’s far more racist than anything Donald Trump has ever done, of course, but elites in America barely even care.”

Trump’s comments have set tongues wagging on social media, with critical views dismissing both the US President and Carlson’s views as fake news, with others warning the US against meddling into South Africa’s internal affairs.

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The issue of murder and violent attacks on people living and working on farms in South Africa has made headlines, but there are strong disagreements whether the crimes are racial in nature or not.

South Africa has rejected President Trump’s assertions, and accused the US leader of seeking to divide the nation. The official South African government Twitter handle tweeted: “South Africa totally rejects this narrow perception which only seeks to divide our nation and reminds us of our colonial past. #landexpropriation @realDonaldTrump @PresidencyZA”.

Expropriation without compensation: a divisive policy

Land expropriation, which is an emotive issues has been a hot topic in South Africa, and the issue has made headlines over the past few years. Estimates indicate that around 80% of South African agricultural land remains in the hands of about 35,000 white farmers and large agribusinesses.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa. Quiet, but decisive action.
EPA-EFE/Andy Rain

President Cyril Ramaphosa announced on 1 August that the governing party, the African National Congress (ANC) will push ahead with plans to change the Constitution to allow the expropriation of land without compensation. In a televised broadcast, Ramaphosa said, “It has become patently clear that our people want the constitution to be more explicit about expropriation of land without compensation. The ANC will, through the parliamentary process, finalise a proposed amendment to the constitution that outlines more clearly the conditions under which expropriation of land without compensation can be effected.”

Ramaphosa’s announcement could not have been surprising considering that the 54th National Conference of the ANC resolved to pursue the policy. At the Conference the ANC said it would, “as a matter of policy, pursue expropriation of land without compensation. This should be pursued without destabilising the agricultural sector, without endangering food security in our country and without undermining economic growth and job creation”.

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“Willing buyer, willing seller” failure

It is commonplace knowledge that most of South Africa’s land remains in the hands of white people and the slow pace of land redistribution under the free-market principle of “willing buyer, willing seller” has frustrated many, who have called for the government to abandon the ineffective policy.

Between 1994 and 2011, about 7 million hectares of land had been transferred to black owners, representing just 27 percent of the government’s target of transferring 24.5-million hectares by 2014. The current policy has been criticised for perpetuating the existing unequal land ownership patterns.

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