Malema denounces Trump's funding threat over Expropriation Act

03 February 2025 - 17:05
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EFF leader Julius Malema.
EFF leader Julius Malema.
Image: Sharon Seretlo/Gallo Images

EFF leader Julius Malema has condemned US President Donald Trump's threat to revoke Washington's funding to Pretoria over the contentious land expropriation act.

Malema called Trump's statements offensive and urged President Cyril Ramaphosa not to buckle on land reform because of foreign aid and investment pressure.

“It undermines our sovereignty and is a reminder that our reliance on foreign aid and foreign direct investment surrenders us to the will of imperialists who use money to dictate the economic and policy direction of Africa.

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
Julius Malema, EFF leader

“We want to make it categorically clear to the president of the US that we are going to expropriate land without compensation and pursue legislative measures to do so, and no threat will stop us,” Malema said.

This comes on the back of Trump's announcement that his administration would be withdrawing all aid to South Africa. 

Trump accused the South African government of human rights violations which include the confiscation of land from a “certain class of people”.

“Until we find out what South Africa is doing, they are taking away land, they are confiscating land and actually they are doing things that are perhaps far worse than that,” said Trump speaking to reporters at Joint Base Andrews on Sunday night.

Pretoria has announced it plans to engage Trump on his claims and clarified that the only aid it receives from the US is about R8bn which goes towards fighting HIV/Aids. 

The red berets leader said the country should not renege on adopting legislation that permits the expropriation of land without compensation and implementing policies that address historical race-based inequalities.

“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.”

Malema said his party's position and insistence on building state capacity seeks to bolster relations with progressive nations who won't read the riot act when the country adopts a redress posture and policy.

“We must build a strong agricultural and industrial nation which will not depend on the West, and intensify trade relations with progressive nations such as China, Russia and nations within Brics, who do not use foreign policy as an instrument to impose their will or bully other nations into submission.”

He accused the ANC's government of national unity partners of being in cahoots with Washington, roping in US forces to interfere in their policy clashes.

“That's why we have got this noise by Donald Trump. They thought they were going to bully the ANC in that GNU and the ANC would develop cold feet. The ANC is pushing forward and they are now seeking external intervention that seeks to undermine the sovereignty of South Africa.

“GNU partners are working with the US. How do you differentiate FF Plus from AfriForum, from Solidariteit? You come to a conclusion that these things are one and their principal is the DA. There are people here who are hoping the ANC will develop cold feet. Because they can't find their way, they go and call on their big brothers to come and bully the ANC.”

Malema criticised the ANC for getting into government with political parties with which it is not ideologically aligned.

“The ANC is not in a coalition with people who share a vision with them, that's why they are struggling. They just went around picking up riff raff and put it into a coalition. When you ask why they do what they are doing, they say they want power. They don't care whether you are a bandit, whether you have a good reputation in society, anything that can give them power, they will go for it.”

He said the EFF would be ready to assume its position in government whenever the ANC decides to boot out the DA.

“The ANC must know we are just outside, we are at the doorstep. Once they remove the DA and they want a partner, we are in. There is no government that is going to collapse here, because Helen Zille says so. We are not going to be told by Helen Zille.”

TimesLIVE


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