US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order freezing assistance to South Africa over its controversial land reform policy and stance on Israel.
The policy, signed into law by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa in January, allows the government to seize land without compensation in certain cases.
Trump claims this policy discriminates against White farmers and amounts to "human rights violations".
In response, South Africa's foreign ministry expressed "great concern" over the order, stating it lacks factual accuracy and fails to recognize the country's history of colonialism and apartheid.
Ramaphosa has denied that the government is confiscating land, emphasizing that the policy aims to address historical inequalities in land ownership.
The executive order also directs the US to assist Afrikaners fleeing South Africa due to discrimination, including resettling them through refugee programs.
Additionally, Trump criticized South Africa's stance against Israel, particularly its accusation of genocide at the International Court of Justice.
The move comes as the Trump administration has already frozen almost all foreign assistance and made moves to dismantle USAID. The US had allocated nearly $440 million in assistance to South Africa in 2023, including over $270 million from USAID.
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