South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has expressed disappointment over what he sees as a lack of diplomatic engagement from U.S. President Donald Trump. This follows Trump’s executive order cutting all U.S. funding to South Africa, citing concerns over the Expropriation Act and Pretoria’s genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
Trump also announced plans to facilitate the relocation of Afrikaners to the United States, claiming they face oppression in South Africa.
Speaking to TimesLIVE, Ramaphosa’s spokesperson, Vincent Magwenya, revealed that Pretoria had not been formally notified of the executive order before its announcement. He criticized the move as lacking diplomatic courtesy, emphasizing that nations with longstanding political, trade, and cultural ties should communicate over areas of concern before making unilateral decisions.
“This escalation in tensions appears to be coming from only one side,” Magwenya noted, stressing that while South Africa has had policy disagreements with the U.S. before, it has never faced such a sharp diplomatic standoff.
Trump’s administration has recently focused attention on South Africa, particularly targeting the Expropriation Act, which allows the government to seize land without compensation. The U.S. president described South Africa’s policies as “very bad,” alleging property confiscation—claims that remain unverified.
In his State of the Nation Address, Ramaphosa dismissed any attempts at intimidation, reaffirming South Africa’s sovereignty. “We will not be deterred or bullied. Our focus remains on building an inclusive nation and a thriving economy for all,” Magwenya reiterated.
He further suggested that Washington’s grievances go beyond land reform, citing Pretoria’s stance against Israel at the ICJ, its commitment to the G20 theme of “Equality, Solidarity, and Sustainability,” and the anticipated relocation of Taiwan’s liaison office. “All these issues are now being distorted with misinformation,” he added.
Magwenya spoke from Tanzania, where Ramaphosa is attending a regional summit addressing the ongoing conflict in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
