South African President Cyril Ramaphosa spoke with Elon Musk, a close advisor to U.S. President Donald Trump, following Trump's threat to cut funding for South Africa over its land expropriation law. Ramaphosa's spokesperson, Vincent Magwenya, described the conversation as "logical" given Musk's previous investment discussions with Ramaphosa and his close ties to Trump.
Trump announced on Sunday that he would halt financial assistance to South Africa while the U.S. investigated the country's land expropriation law, which allows the government to take land from private owners. Trump falsely claimed that South Africa was "confiscating land" and "doing things that are perhaps far worse than that."
The South African government has refuted Trump's claims, calling them "misinformation and distortions." The government maintains that no land has been confiscated and that the law is designed to address historical injustices stemming from apartheid. The law targets unused or underutilized land and protects property rights, according to the government.
Musk, who has been critical of South Africa's government, has previously accused the country of being "anti-white" and has falsely claimed that the killings of white farmers amount to "genocide." He has also criticized South Africa's affirmative action policies, which require part-Black ownership of some companies.
Musk's Starlink satellite internet service has been denied a license in South Africa due to its failure to meet affirmative action criteria. Ramaphosa had previously discussed potential investments with Musk, including Starlink and the regulatory environment surrounding the sector.