Ramaphosa Responds To Trump's Threat

The President of South Africa Cyril Ramaphosa has responded to US President Donald Trump's threat of cutting HIV/ Aids funding due to South Africa's new land policy. According to Ramaphosa, the country's government has not confiscated any land and the policy is a legal framework to ensure equitable access to land by public.
“The recently adopted Expropriation Act is not a confiscation instrument, but a constitutionally mandated legal process that ensures public access to land in an equitable and just manner as guided by the constitution,” he said.
The South African President went on to say that while the US is a strategic political and trade partner, its support towards HIV/Aids accounts for only 17 per cent.
“With the exception of PEPFAR Aid, which constitutes 17 per cent of South Africa’s HIV/Aids programme, there is no other significant funding that is provided by the United States in South Africa.”
He further insisted that South Africa does not belong to Trump and he should focus on running the United States.
“We are living as a nation of blacks and whites going to find solution to our land question and Donald Trump must leave us alone. When we were facing apartheid, when we were facing oppression he was not here. He did not fight side by side with us," he said.
“Stay out of our issues and we will not get involved in your issues in America.”
Ramaphosa, however, said that he looks forward to further discussing the matter with Trump’s administration so they can have a better understanding of what it is about.
“We look forward to engaging with the Trump administration over our land reform policy and issues of bilateral interest," he added.