US President Donald Trump showed South African President Cyril Ramaphosa materials allegedly proving genocide against white farmers in the African republic. The South African leader said he had never seen them.
“Now this is very bad. These are burial sites right here. Burial sites — over a thousand — of White farmers,” the American leader said on Wednesday.
Trump instructed his staff to play a video showing Julian Malema, leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters party, repeatedly calling on his supporters at a rally to “kill farmers” and “kill Boers.”
Ramaphosa responded by saying that he had not heard anything about this and stressed that although Malema is a member of his country’s parliament, he has no power and is not part of the government.
On May 18, advisers to South African President Ramaphosa expressed concern that he could face a “dressing down” in the Oval Office during his visit to Washington, as happened during Trump’s meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. The South African leader was not sure he would be able to take advantage of the opportunity to offer the White House a friendly trade deal and ease tensions ahead of future meetings.
Earlier in 2025, Ramaphosa signed a law aimed at eliminating economic and racial inequality that arose during the apartheid era. Thus, the authorities can offer “zero compensation” for property that they decide to expropriate in the public interest. The country’s authorities have stated that the bill does not give them the right to seize land arbitrarily and requires agreement with the owner.
In response, the US announced the suspension of financial aid to South Africa while the law remains in force.
