JOHANNESBURG, Feb. 22 (Xinhua) -- The South African government has rejected the claims made in an executive order signed by U.S. President Donald Trump, calling it "riddled with misinformation."
The Cabinet statement, issued on Thursday, came after Trump signed the executive order earlier this month to cut financial assistance to South Africa, citing disapproval of its land policy and accusing the country of "seizing ethnic minority Afrikaners' agricultural property."
"The executive order lacks factual accuracy and is rooted in misinformation and falsehood aimed at misrepresenting the actual purpose of the law and sowing racial divisions in our nation. This law is not unique to South Africa, as many countries around the world have always had expropriation laws that balance the need for public usage of land and the protection of rights of property owners," said the statement.
It called on citizens to support the country against what it described as misinformation and disinformation propaganda aimed at misrepresenting South Africa.
"Given our past, we cannot turn a blind eye to human rights violations perpetrated around the world, nor can we ignore the less fortunate people who require our voice to ease their suffering," said the statement.
It also addressed the Expropriation Act, which was recently signed into law and appeared to have unsettled the U.S. government as it allows public institutions to expropriate land in the public interest.
"The Cabinet has rejected claims that the South African government is confiscating land and 'treating certain class of people very badly.' South Africa is a constitutional democracy that is deeply committed to protecting the rights of all people living in the country in line with the Bill of Rights and the Constitution," the statement said.
Regarding the U.S. withdrawal of the Emergency Plan for Aids Relief (PEPFAR), the Cabinet said South Africa was spending 46.8 billion rand (about 2.56 billion U.S. dollars) in the 2024/2025 financial year on antiretroviral treatment, with only 17 percent of the financing coming from the United States. "PEPFAR funds are only used for the salaries and operational costs of the people they appointed directly in the 27 districts," the statement said. ■
