In his State of the Nation address on Thursday, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa asserted that the nation “will not be bullied,” responding to recent criticisms from U.S. President Donald Trump and other American officials.
President Trump had accused South Africa of “confiscating” land through a new expropriation act and threatened to cut funding to the country.
In his speech, Ramaphosa emphasized the nation’s resilience, stating, “We are, as South Africans, a resilient people, and we will not be bullied.”
The Expropriation Act, signed into law last month, allows the government to expropriate land without compensation under certain conditions.
The issue of land ownership remains a sensitive topic in South Africa, with the majority of farmland still owned by white individuals three decades after the end of apartheid.
In response to the U.S. criticisms, South Africa’s Foreign Minister Ronald Lamola stated that the Expropriation Act is similar to eminent domain laws in other countries, allowing the state to acquire private property for public use.
The diplomatic tensions have also affected international relations, with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announcing he would not attend the upcoming G20 summit in Johannesburg, citing South Africa’s land reform policies and focus on “solidarity, equality, and sustainability.”
President Ramaphosa’s address underscores South Africa’s commitment to its national interests and sovereignty amid international scrutiny.
#RAMAPHOSA: We are as South Africans a resilient people, and we will not be bullied.#RamaphosaOurPresident#ANCDelivers#SONA2025 pic.twitter.com/XVHRth1UJw
— ANC SECRETARY GENERAL | Fikile Mbalula (@MbalulaFikile) February 6, 2025
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