EFF leader Julius Malema has condemned threats by US President Donald Trump regarding South Africa’s land reform policies.
This comes after Trump threatened to cut foreign aid on social media while the recently passed Expropriation Act was being investigated.
In the post on X, Trump said the US would not stand for the “confiscation” of land, which he believes constitutes a human rights violation.
Malema blasted Trump’s assertions, claiming that they were the newly elected president’s response to South Africa enacting laws that address longstanding racial injustices.
Trump’s remark, he continued, was disrespectful and undermined South Africa’s sovereignty.
According to him, this serves as a reminder of the economic power imperialist countries wield.
“We want to make it categorically clear to the president of the USA that we are going to expropriate land without compensation and pursue legislative measures to do so, and no threat will stop us,” Malema said.
“His misinterpretation of the Expropriation Act, which is a mild and cosmetic intervention, is an assessment of a measure that is going to be pursued through the amendment of our constitution as South Africans, and there is nothing he can do to undermine our independence.”
Cementing ties with BRICS
Malema emphasised the importance of strengthening trade relations with China, Russia, and other BRICS nations, which he views as more respectful of national sovereignty.
President Cyril Ramaphosa said South Africa received the President’s Emergency Plan for Aids Relief from the US.
This funding supports at least 17% of South Africa’s HIV/Aids programme workers.
Sunday World previously reported that Ramaphosa clarified that the recently signed Expropriation Act does not constitute the confiscation of land but is rather a constitutionally guided legal process that allows for equitable access to land for public use while also protecting the rights of property owners.
“South Africa, like the United States of America and other countries, has always had expropriation laws that balance the need for public usage of land and the protection of rights of property owners,” said Ramaphosa.
