The Democratic Alliance (DA) is alarmed by President Donald Trump’s threat to slash essential aid funding in response to South Africa’s Expropriation Act.
DA leader John Steenhuisen, along with fellow MP Dean Macpherson, acknowledges the need for amendments to the Act to meet the sequencing requirements outlined by the Public Works and Infrastructure Minister.
However, Steenhuisen highlighted that there are also chances to address various public concerns that have emerged since the Act’s introduction.
Steenhuisen insists that the Act does not permit arbitrary land seizures by the state and emphasizes that it mandates fair compensation for legitimate expropriations in line with Section 25 of the Constitution.
“It’s unfortunate that some are misrepresenting this Act as an amendment to Section 25 to justify Expropriation Without Compensation,” he asserted.
He further noted that the United States has been a long-standing and valued partner to South Africa, contributing significantly to vital programs.
“In 2024 alone, South Africa received $453 million in direct funding under the PEPFAR program, with an estimated $439 million earmarked for 2025,”
Steenhuisen detailed. This funding is essential for maintaining life-saving HIV/AIDS treatment and support services for the country’s most vulnerable populations.
Moreover, millions of U.S. dollars are funneled into South African NGOs and government departments for humanitarian and environmental projects that directly benefit at-risk communities.
“It would be a tragedy if this funding were to be cut due to misunderstandings about the facts. The GNU is actively engaging with the Trump administration to set the record straight, and the DA fully supports these efforts,” he commented.
Steenhuisen concluded by reaffirming that property rights are fundamental to the health of South Africa’s economy, stating,
“The DA will always champion the protection of these rights. We successfully prevented any amendments to Section 25 of the Constitution, which safeguards these principles.
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