Last week, US President Donald Trump sign one executive order wey block aid to South Africa. Dis mata na big wahala because US dey fund di world biggest HIV treatment programme for South Africa, where more than eight million people dey suffer from AIDS.

US dey support 20 percent of South Africa $2.3 billion annual HIV-AIDS programme wey dey help provide life-saving antiretroviral treatment to 5.5 million people every day.

But why Trump do dis kain tin? Di mata na result of di kasala wey don dey between him administration and di South Africans because of one law wey dem pass last month.

According to Trump, di law show say dem no dey respect citizens’ rights. For him social media platform, Truth Social, Trump talk say: “South Africa dey seize land and dey treat some group of people VERY BADLY. Di mata bad well well and di Radical Left Media no wan even talk about am. Big Human Rights VIOLATION dey happen, everybody dey see am. United States no go gree - we go act. Because of dis, I go cut off all aid to South Africa until further notice!”

So wetin be dis law? Di Expropriation Bill 2024 give South African government power to collect private property from di owners, even if dem no gree, say na for public benefit.

Di law wey dem pass on January 23, 2025, after five years of argument, na to solve di land inequality wey dey di kontri. One 2017 audit show say 72 percent of farmland still dey white South Africans hand. But critics dey talk say di policy fit make foreign investors fear and e go affect property rights.

During di colonial and apartheid time, laws like di Natives Land Act of 1913 no allow Black South Africans own or lease land. Di result na say land ownership dey for di hand of di white minority.

Three decades after apartheid end, most private farmland for South Africa still dey white people hand. President Cyril Ramaphosa and di ruling African National Congress (ANC) dey try solve di mata. Di government talk say di new law na to correct di wrongs of di past.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa talk for X say: “South African government never seize any land. Di Expropriation Act wey we just adopt no be instrument to seize land, but na legal process wey dey guided by di constitution to make sure land dey available to everybody in a fair way.”

“South Africa, like di United States and other countries, don always get expropriation laws wey dey balance public need for land and di rights of property owners. We dey ready to discuss with Trump administration about our land reform policy and other issues wey concern both countries.”

Deputy Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Sihle Zikalala talk say di bill na di result of long fight against land dispossession.

For one article, law professor Zsa-Zsa Temmers Boggenpoel explain say di new law dey govern how government fit collect private property for public purpose or interest. E dey align di process with di Constitution and give clear guidelines on compensation.

She talk say, “Expropriation of property fit help reduce land inequality. Dis mata don dey urgent because South Africans dey vex say land reform dey slow.”

She add say, so far, expropriation never really work well to redistribute land equally. “I no sure say di act, as e dey now, fit bring di kain radical land reform wey South Africa need urgently,” di professor talk.

She also talk say di act go affect property rights, but e still dey protect landowners. Only for very few cases dem no go pay compensation. Di most controversial part na Section 12 wey talk about nil compensation.

Trump own narrative no be today e start. For 2018, Trump talk say South Africa dey see “large-scale killings” of white farmers. Him administration even wan investigate di mata, even though statistics show say di killings na small part of South Africa annual murder rate.

Di narrative of white genocide dey popular for far-right circles but e no get facts to back am. Trump dey use dis kain talk to push di narrative of white victimhood wey him political movement dey rely on.

Even Elon Musk, wey come from South Africa, talk for X say South African farmers dey “grave danger” because of di bill. E also accuse President Ramaphosa of bringing “openly racist ownership laws.”

South African government don reject Trump criticism of di new law, wey dem talk say na to address di inequality wey apartheid and white minority rule cause before e end for 1994.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio talk say him no go attend di G20 Summit for Johannesburg because of di law. For X, e talk say: “South Africa dey do bad things. Dem dey seize private property. Dem dey use G20 to push ‘solidarity, equality, & sustainability.’ My work na to protect America interest, no be to waste taxpayer money.”

South Africa, wey dey lead di G20 bloc of 20 big economies, go host di foreign ministers meeting on February 20-21.

US-South Africa relationship don dey get as e be. Apart from di land reform mata, Trump latest talk dey come from di geopolitical tension wey dey ground. South Africa no dey follow US foreign policy for some areas, like di Russia-Ukraine war and di genocide case against Israel for di International Court of Justice.

Dis kain move dey vex Washington, and Trump comments fit be di way wey dem wan take put pressure for South Africa government.

Economically, South Africa dey depend on US trade benefits under di African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), wey dey give dem better access to US market. If Trump decide to put sanctions or remove South Africa from AGOA, e fit affect di kontri economy well well.