South African ANC leader Gwede Mantashe stood up for his nation against US pressure on Sunday. He made it clear that South Africa remains free from American control. The clash started when Donald Trump signed an order in February about South Africa's new land law. Trump claimed the law lets the government take farms from Afrikaner minorities without payment. President Ramaphosa says the law actually helps everyone access land fairly.
The law does allow land seizure without compensation, but only under specific conditions. Trump offered refugee status to Afrikaners, calling them victims of racial discrimination. Mantashe criticized South Africans who asked Trump to punish their country. He suggested those people should leave if they want American protection. The fight spilled onto social media, where Elon Musk called South African land laws racist.
White South Africans still control most private land despite apartheid ending years ago. To ease tensions, South Africa sent a special representative to Washington this month. This happened after the US kicked out South African ambassador Ebrahim Rasool for accusing Trump of hidden racist messages. Members of Orania, an all-white town, recently visited America seeking recognition as their state. Mantashe wants to integrate Orania, saying peace defeats hatred when building a nation.
The law does allow land seizure without compensation, but only under specific conditions. Trump offered refugee status to Afrikaners, calling them victims of racial discrimination. Mantashe criticized South Africans who asked Trump to punish their country. He suggested those people should leave if they want American protection. The fight spilled onto social media, where Elon Musk called South African land laws racist.
White South Africans still control most private land despite apartheid ending years ago. To ease tensions, South Africa sent a special representative to Washington this month. This happened after the US kicked out South African ambassador Ebrahim Rasool for accusing Trump of hidden racist messages. Members of Orania, an all-white town, recently visited America seeking recognition as their state. Mantashe wants to integrate Orania, saying peace defeats hatred when building a nation.
