Pretoria 'notes' Trump's latest order against SA
The government of South Africa says it has taken note of the latest executive order issued by America's president, Donald Trump.
On Friday, Trump froze US aid to South Africa, citing the newly signed Expropriation Act, that he alleges allows land to be seized from white farmers.
“It is of great concern that the foundational premise of this order lacks factual accuracy and fails to recognize South Africa's profound and painful history of colonialism and apartheid,” said department of international relations and cooperation spokesperson Chrispin Phiri.
Phiri said the government was concerned by what seems to be a campaign of misinformation and propaganda aimed at misrepresenting South Africa.
“It is disappointing to observe that such narratives seem to have found favour among decision-makers in the United States of America.”
The statement published by DIRCO goes on to describe as “ironic” how the executive order makes provision for refugee status for a group in the population which remains among the most economically privileged, while the people of the US and other parts of the world are being denied asylum.
Trump launched what his second administration is casting as a major effort to combat illegal migration, trumpeting immigration raids, arrests, and deportations on military aircraft.
READ MORE: US flying detained migrants to Guantanamo
“We reiterate that South Africa remains committed to finding diplomatic solutions to any misunderstandings or disputes,” Phiri concluded.
‘WE WILL NOT BE BULLIED’
During his State of the Nation Address on Thursday, President Cyril Ramaphosa addressed the US President’s threats and actions against South Africa.
"We are witnessing the rise of nationalism, protectionism, the pursuit of narrow interests, and the decline of common cause," Ramaphosa said.
"This is the world that we as South Africa, a developing economy, must now navigate, but we are not daunted," he said. "We are, as South Africans, a resilient people, and we will not be bullied."
Trump asserted this week that South Africa was "confiscating" land via an expropriation act signed last month, a charge the government denies and has described as "misinformation".
The US leader, who is advised by South Africa-born Elon Musk, also accused Pretoria of "treating certain classes of people very badly" and threatened to cut funding to the country.
Additional reporting by AFP
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