THE South African government hit back today after US President Donald Trump said he will cut “all funding” to the country and launch an investigation into its policies.

Mr Trump claimed that a land expropriation law recently signed by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa is a “massive” human rights violation.

Mr Trump made the pledge to stop all future funding on his Truth Social platform on Sunday, writing: “South Africa is confiscating land, and treating certain classes of people very badly.”

He added: “The US won’t stand for it, we will act. I will be cutting off all future funding to South Africa until a full investigation of this situation has been completed!”

The South African government said on Monday that the Trump administration needed to have a better understanding of the new law, meant to help redress the impact of decades of white minority rule under the apartheid regime, which ended in 1994. 

Mr Ramaphosa said in a statement that “the South African government has not confiscated any land.”

Billionaire Elon Musk, one of Mr Trump’s close allies, was born and raised in South Africa and has also targeted the African National Congress (ANC) government, accusing it of being anti-white.

He also claimed without evidence in 2023 that the ANC was allowing a “genocide” against white farmers.

Mr Ramaphosa’s office said: “The recently adopted Expropriation Act is not a confiscation instrument, but a constitutionally mandated legal process that ensures public access to land in an equitable and just manner as guided by the constitution.”

Other than support for the country’s HIV/Aids programme — $400 million (around £322m) — Mr Ramaphosa’s office said there is “no other significant funding that is provided by the US in South Africa.”