Trump’s comments appeared to be referring to a land expropriation act signed by Ramaphosa last month which stipulates the government may, in certain circumstances, offer nil compensation for property it decides to seize in the public interest.
Land ownership is a contentious issue in South Africa, with most farmland still owned by white people three decades after the end of apartheid.
Efforts to redress the inequality have drawn criticism from conservatives, including South Africa-born the world’s wealthiest person, Elon Musk, who is a powerful Trump adviser.
Ramaphosa said in a statement that the South African government has not confiscated any land, after Trump’s claim in which he also accused the government of treating certain classes of people very badly and threatened to cut funding to the country.
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The government says the bill does not allow authorities to expropriate property arbitrarily and must first seek to reach an agreement with the owner.
It is a constitutionally mandated legal process that ensures public access to land in an equitable and just manner as guided by the Constitution.
It said they look forward to engaging with the Trump administration over our land reform policy and issues of bilateral interest, adding they are certain that out of those engagements, they will share a better and common understanding over these matters.
Ramaphosa’s statement said that except for aid from the PEPFAR anti-HIV/Aids initiative, which makes up 17 percent of South Africa’s HIV/Aids programme, there is no other significant funding that is provided by the United States in South Africa.
It added that the US remains a key strategic political and trade partner for South Africa.