Ramaphosa and Musk's Land Law Debate: A Global Controversy

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa spoke with Elon Musk following Trump's threat to cut US funding over a contentious land expropriation law. The call aimed to address misinformation and clarify South Africa’s position, amid Musk's influence on US foreign policy and criticism of South Africa.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa engaged in crucial talks with Elon Musk, the influential adviser to Donald Trump, following the US president's threat to cut financial assistance to South Africa. This move was in response to concerns over a new land expropriation law signed by Ramaphosa last month, which allows government expropriation of private land.

Ramaphosa's spokesperson, Vincent Magwenya, remarked that the dialogue with South African-born Musk, a known ally of Trump, was logical given Musk's previous investment-related discussions with the president. Trump's announcement on Sunday, which inaccurately accused South Africa of land confiscation, prompted this call to dispel misinformation.

The South African government has rebuffed Musk's aligned criticism alongside Trump's, clarifying that no land has been seized under the new law, designed to address apartheid's historical injustices. Trump's proposed funding cut threatens almost half a billion dollars in annual aid, crucially impacting South Africa's HIV/AIDS program.

(With inputs from agencies.)