Ramaphosa has rejected Monday assertions by Donald Trump that South Africa was “confiscating” land and said he was ready to explain his government’s land reform policy to his US counterpart.
Trump’s comments appeared to be referring to a land expropriation act signed by Ramaphosa last month which stipulates the government may, in certain circumstances, offer “nil compensation” for property it decides to seize in the public interest.
Land ownership is a contentious issue in South Africa, with most farmland still owned by white people three decades after the end of apartheid.
Efforts to redress the inequality have drawn criticism from conservatives, including South Africa-born Elon Musk, the world’s wealthiest person, who is a powerful Trump adviser.
