UNITED States President Donald Trump has signed an executive order halting aid to South Africa and directing US agencies to facilitate the resettlement of Afrikaner refugees, citing concerns over property expropriation and foreign policy tensions.
The order, issued from the White House on Friday, accuses the South African government of enacting policies that enable “the seizure of ethnic minority Afrikaners’ agricultural property without compensation” and fostering “race-based discrimination”.
It also criticizes Pretoria’s diplomatic moves, including its genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice and growing ties with Iran.
“The United States cannot support the government of South Africa’s commission of rights violations in its country or its undermining of United States foreign policy,” the order states.
Under the directive, US federal agencies, including the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), must halt all non-essential assistance to South Africa.
However, the order allows agency heads discretion to approve aid deemed “necessary or appropriate”.
In addition, the State Department and Department of Homeland Security have been instructed to prioritise Afrikaners seeking refugee status in the US, outlining a plan for their resettlement.
The South African government has yet to issue an official statement, but officials in Pretoria have previously defended the Expropriation Act 13 of 2024, arguing that it seeks to address historical land inequalities without targeting specific racial groups.
South Africa has also maintained that its foreign policy decisions are based on principles of international law and non-alignment.
The order marks a new escalation in US-South Africa relations, which have been strained over geopolitical alignments, including Pretoria’s stance on the Israel-Gaza conflict and its deepening partnerships with Russia and China.
The executive order follows repeated calls from Republican lawmakers for action against South Africa over concerns about property rights, economic policies, and its geopolitical positioning.
It remains unclear how quickly the US will begin implementing refugee resettlement measures or whether the order will face legal challenges.
Meanwhile, South Africa is expected to push back against the allegations, with officials likely to raise concerns at multilateral forums. – Staff Reporter