CAPE TOWN, South Africa — In his annual address to the nation, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa made it clear that his country would not be intimidated by outside pressures, appearing to refer to comments made by U.S. President Donald Trump. Ramaphosa asserted that South Africa would not be “bullied” during his speech delivered in Parliament on Thursday.
Although Ramaphosa did not directly mention Trump, his remarks came in the wake of Trump’s threats to eliminate funding to South Africa due to a controversial new land expropriation law. Ramaphosa remarked on the global climate of rising nationalism and protectionism, emphasizing the challenges that developing economies like South Africa must navigate. “But we are not daunted. We will not be deterred,” he declared, highlighting the resilience and unity of the South African people. His speech was met with applause and cheers from members of Parliament and other attendees, demonstrating a strong show of support for his message.
The South African government has spent recent days defending its international reputation following Trump’s criticisms that were voiced on his social media platform. Trump accused South Africa of “confiscating land” and treating certain groups poorly, though he was vague about specifics. He characterized the government’s actions as a “massive Human Rights VIOLATION” and claimed that the media was ignoring these issues.
These comments seem to relate to a law passed last month allowing the South African government to expropriate land from private individuals. Ramaphosa and his administration have defended the law, asserting that it targets unused land and aims to redistribute resources for the public benefit, with strict legal safeguards in place to prevent arbitrary seizures. They have maintained that no land has been taken under this new policy.
In response to Trump’s claims and similar criticisms from Elon Musk, a billionaire supporter of Trump who was born in South Africa, Ramaphosa’s spokesperson labeled the statements as “misinformation.” Musk has long been critical of the South African government, alleging that it exhibits anti-white policies and designing the expropriation law to strip land from the white minority.
Trump’s assertions about South Africa have been met with skepticism, particularly since they followed his recent order for a 90-day freeze on most global aid, which poses a threat to hundreds of millions of dollars that the U.S. allocates to South Africa for its extensive HIV/AIDS program—the largest of its kind globally. Ramaphosa noted during his address that the aid freeze was troubling, and the South African government was considering options to maintain crucial HIV/AIDS services amid this uncertainty.
While addressing foreign threats, Ramaphosa’s extensive speech primarily centered on domestic challenges. He committed to a substantial investment of $50 billion over the next three years to enhance the nation’s infrastructure, which includes the construction of roads, bridges, and dams, as well as modernizing ports and airports. “The new infrastructure will power our economy,” he asserted, emphasizing the importance of these initiatives for South Africa’s growth and development.
