WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday he had asked Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to “closely study the South Africa land and farm seizures” and the killing of farmers there.

“I have asked Secretary of State @SecPompeo to closely study the South Africa land and farm seizures and expropriations and large scale killing of farmers,” Trump said in a post on Twitter.

President Cyril Ramaphosa announced on Aug. 1 that the ruling African National Congress (ANC) is forging ahead with plans to change the constitution to allow the expropriation of land without compensation, as whites still own most of South Africa’s land more than two decades after the end of apartheid.

Trump’s tweet appeared to be a response to a Fox News report on Wednesday that focused on South Africa’s land issue and murders of white farmers.

Since the end of apartheid in 1994, the ANC has followed a “willing-seller, willing-buyer” model under which the government buys white-owned farms for redistribution to blacks. Progress has been slow.

South Africa’s state-owned Land Bank said on Monday a plan to allow the state to seize land without compensation could trigger defaults that could cost the government 41 billion rand ($2.8 billion) if the bank’s rights as a creditor are not protected.

Trump’s tweet comes days after it was announced that his wife, Melania, will travel to Africa in October for her first major solo international trip as first lady.

In January, South Africa protested to the U.S. embassy in Pretoria about reported remarks by Trump that some immigrants from Africa and Haiti come from “shithole” countries.

South Africa’s foreign ministry called the remarks, which sources said Trump made during a meeting on immigration legislation, “crude and offensive” and said Trump’s subsequent denial was not categorical.</s>WASHINGTON/JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday he had asked Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to study South African “land and farm seizures” and “killing of farmers”, prompting Pretoria to accuse Trump of stoking racial divisions.

Trump’s comments have inflamed an already high-octane debate over land in South Africa, a country that remains deeply racially divided and unequal nearly a quarter of a century after Nelson Mandela swept to power at the end of apartheid.

The rand currency ZAR=D3 dropped more than 1.5 percent against the U.S. dollar in early trade on Thursday after Trump's tweet had circulated in South Africa.

“I have asked Secretary of State @SecPompeo to closely study the South Africa land and farm seizures and expropriations and large scale killing of farmers,” Trump said on Twitter.

South Africa’s foreign ministry will seek clarification of Trump’s comments from the U.S. Embassy in Pretoria, President Cyril Ramaphosa’s spokeswoman said, adding that Trump was “misinformed”.

“South Africa totally rejects this narrow perception which only seeks to divide our nation and reminds us of our colonial past,” a tweet from South Africa’s official government account said in response to Trump’s comments.

South Africa’s communications minister said Trump’s tweet would not affect relations between South Africa and the United States.

“The tweet has not determined our approach to the United States on our current relationship and future relationship,” Nomvula Mokonyane said after a cabinet meeting.

The U.S. State Department was not immediately available for comment on Trump’s tweet.

Ramaphosa announced on Aug. 1 that the ruling African National Congress (ANC) plans to change the constitution to allow the expropriation of land without compensation, as whites still own most of South Africa’s land.

Ramaphosa has said any land reform will be conducted without an impact on economic growth or food security. No land has been “seized” since the reform plans were announced, the ANC says.

Trump’s tweet appeared to be a response to a Fox News report on Wednesday that focused on South Africa’s land issue and murders of white farmers.

Violent crime is a serious problem across South Africa and 47 farmers were killed in 2017-28, according to statistics from AgriSA, an association of agricultural associations. However, farm murders are at a 20-year low.

Since the end of apartheid in 1994, the ANC has followed a “willing-seller, willing-buyer” model under which the government buys white-owned farms for redistribution to blacks.

Progress has been slow and most South Africans believe something has to be done to accelerate change, providing it does not hurt the economy or stoke unrest.

“Reforming the land distribution and ownership will be good for South Africa,” said political analyst Nic Borain.

“That there will be instability and worries about property rights is inevitable, but we don’t expect that the government will act in a way that radically destabilizes investor security.”

Trump’s tweet came days after it was announced that his wife, Melania, would travel to Africa in October for her first major solo international trip as first lady.

In January, South Africa protested to the U.S. Embassy in Pretoria about reported remarks by Trump that some immigrants from Africa and Haiti came from “shithole” countries.

South Africa’s foreign ministry called the remarks, which sources said Trump made during a meeting on immigration legislation, “crude and offensive” and said Trump’s subsequent denial was not categorical.

AfriForum, an organization that mostly represents white South Africans who have described land expropriation as “catastrophic”, traveled to the United States earlier this year to lobby the Senate and other officials.</s>WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday he had asked Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to “closely study the South Africa land and farm seizures” and the killing of farmers there.

“I have asked Secretary of State @SecPompeo to closely study the South Africa land and farm seizures and expropriations and large scale killing of farmers,” Trump said in a post on Twitter.

President Cyril Ramaphosa announced on Aug. 1 that the ruling African National Congress (ANC) is forging ahead with plans to change the constitution to allow the expropriation of land without compensation, as whites still own most of South Africa’s land more than two decades after the end of apartheid.

Trump’s tweet appeared to be a response to a Fox News report on Wednesday that focused on South Africa’s land issue and murders of white farmers.

Since the end of apartheid in 1994, the ANC has followed a “willing-seller, willing-buyer” model under which the government buys white-owned farms for redistribution to blacks. Progress has been slow.

South Africa’s state-owned Land Bank said on Monday a plan to allow the state to seize land without compensation could trigger defaults that could cost the government 41 billion rand ($2.8 billion) if the bank’s rights as a creditor are not protected.

Trump’s tweet comes days after it was announced that his wife, Melania, will travel to Africa in October for her first major solo international trip as first lady.

In January, South Africa protested to the U.S. embassy in Pretoria about reported remarks by Trump that some immigrants from Africa and Haiti come from “shithole” countries.

South Africa’s foreign ministry called the remarks, which sources said Trump made during a meeting on immigration legislation, “crude and offensive” and said Trump’s subsequent denial was not categorical.</s>WASHINGTON, Aug 22 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday he had asked Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to "closely study the South Africa land and farm seizures" and the killing of farmers there.

"I have asked Secretary of State @SecPompeo to closely study the South Africa land and farm seizures and expropriations and large scale killing of farmers," Trump said in a post on Twitter.

President Cyril Ramaphosa announced on Aug. 1 that the ruling African National Congress (ANC) is forging ahead with plans to change the constitution to allow the expropriation of land without compensation, as whites still own most of South Africa's land more than two decades after the end of apartheid.

Trump's tweet appeared to be a response to a Fox News report on Wednesday that focused on South Africa's land issue and murders of white farmers.

The State Department has not commented on Ramaphosa's announcement. It was not immediately available for comment on Trump's tweet.

Since the end of apartheid in 1994, the ANC has followed a "willing-seller, willing-buyer" model under which the government buys white-owned farms for redistribution to blacks. Progress has been slow.

South Africa's state-owned Land Bank said on Monday a plan to allow the state to seize land without compensation could trigger defaults that could cost the government 41 billion rand ($2.8 billion) if the bank's rights as a creditor are not protected.

Trump's tweet comes days after it was announced that his wife, Melania, will travel to Africa in October for her first major solo international trip as first lady.

In January, South Africa protested to the U.S. embassy in Pretoria about reported remarks by Trump that some immigrants from Africa and Haiti come from "shithole" countries.

South Africa's foreign ministry called the remarks, which sources said Trump made during a meeting on immigration legislation, "crude and offensive" and said Trump´s subsequent denial was not categorical. (Reporting by Lesley Wroughton Editing by Robert Birsel)</s>In this photo taken Oct. 30, 2017 people place white crosses, representing farmers killed in the country, at a ceremony at the Vorrtrekker Monument in Pretoria, South Africa. U.S. President Donald Trump has tweeted that he has asked the Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to "closely study the South African land and farm seizures and expropriations and the large scale killing of farmers." Trump added, "South African Government is now seizing land from white farmers." (AP Photo) ORG XMIT: XDF104

WASHINGTON — The South African government on Thursday slammed President Donald Trump’s tweet calling for the U.S. to examine South Africa’s land and “farm seizures” from white farmers.

Trump tweeted on Wednesday night that he had asked Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to look into “South Africa land and farm seizures and expropriations and the large scale killing of farmers.”

The president’s missive came shortly after Fox News aired a report asserting that the South African government is “now seizing land from white farmers,” which is not true.

“South Africa totally rejects this narrow perception which only seeks to divide our nation and reminds us of our colonial past,” the South African government tweeted in response to Trump’s statement.

South Africa is in the throes of a racially charged national debate over land reform, a lawful process that seeks to correct the legacy of decades of white minority rule that stripped blacks of their land. Today, nearly a quarter-century after the first democratic elections, black South Africans comprise 80 percent of the population but own just 4 percent of the country’s land, according to the government.

In July, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said his party would amend the constitution so the state could expropriate land without compensation to speed up the land reform process, but that has not yet happened and no land has been seized.

For years, a small but vocal group of white South Africans have claimed white farmers are the target of violent, racially motivated farm attacks. Experts say the attacks reflect the country’s generally high crime rate and that there is no evidence connecting them to the victims’ race.

Farm murders have been declining since their peak in 2001, according to research by Agri SA, an umbrella group of South African agricultural associations. In 2016-17, there were 74 murders during farm attacks, according to Africa Check , compared to 19,000 murders across the country in the same period.

On Thursday, U.S. State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert confirmed that Trump and Pompeo had spoken about the issue of land reform in South Africa.

“I can tell you that the Secretary and the president certainly discussed it,” Nauert said. “The president asked him to look at the current state of action with regard to land reform,” she said, and Pompeo plans to “take a look at it.”

Nauert said that expropriation of land without compensation “would risk sending South Africa down the wrong path.” She added that the U.S. has encouraged a “peaceful and transparent debate” about land rights in South Africa, adding “that seems to be happening right now.”

Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., took to Twitter to condemn Trump's "racially-charged" comments.

"Absolutely disgraceful that the president continues to target African nations and spread racially-charged claims that have no basis in evidence or fact," Booker wrote.

The former U.S. Ambassador to South African under President Obama also slammed Trump

"The President of the US needs political distractions to turn our gaze away from his criminal cabal, and so he’s attacking South Africa with the disproven racial myth of “large scale killings of farmers” This man has never visited the continent and has no discernible Africa policy," Gaspard tweeted.</s>Aug. 21 was among the busiest news days the Trump administration has experienced, in part for the sheer variety of major stories coming to a head. Michael Cohen, the president’s former lawyer, pleaded guilty to charges including tax evasion and bank fraud; Paul Manafort, the former chairman of the Trump presidential campaign, was convicted on multiple fraud counts. So massive were these stories that the indictment of a Republican Congressman for spending campaign funds on personal expenses was practically blotted out.

The Cohen and Manafort stories were all-consuming — that is, everywhere except Fox News, which began its prime-time lineup with President Donald Trump himself, speaking at a rally in West Virginia. This rally, in which Trump touted his own accomplishments and genius as well as the special qualities of his supporters, wasn’t designed as a response to a day of news that cast serious doubt over his presidency, but, at least on Fox News, it had that effect: Transmitting the president’s thoughts, and his personal charisma, to supporters watching at home.

Notably, the president seemed as prickly and ruffled as usual, but not about the news of the day: It was as though neither Manafort nor Cohen had ever existed. Even after Trump stopped speaking, Fox’s on-air talent sought to change the conversation in much the same way, with Sean Hannity repeatedly stating that the charges at issue were relatively minor, in the grand scheme of things, and explicitly not connected to the ongoing investigation into collusion with Russia.

Gretchen Carlson on How Her Roger Ailes Lawsuit Affected the Cosby Case

Hannity also, predictably, resurrected an old bete noire every chance he could, asking guests why Hillary Clinton had never faced legal reprisal for the saga of her emails. Hannity’s tendency to speak in a sort of jazzy shorthand made this somewhat random line of questioning especially surreal, as references to “acid-washing hard drives” would crop up without explanation or much context. “Here we are today. Taxi medallions. Sad,” he said, throwing to commercial with an off-handed reference to one of Cohen’s business interests. Hannity sounded, both in rhetorical style and in his relentless denial of any real story here, like the president he so vocally supports.

Fox News has long been Trump’s safe harbor, as both subject and, notably, as viewer; it’s a place where on-camera personalities both tend to treat him with endless indulgence and often seem to be speaking directly to him. The message, more than ever, is that the Trumpian concept of a “witch hunt” is real, and that not merely are Cohen’s and Manafort’s misdeeds unrelated to the Russia saga, but that they barely count at all. That Hannity went so far as to concede, on-air, that Cohen and Manafort had done things wrong (even as he said they shouldn’t face real consequences for them) felt startling — the host rarely cedes ground — but he went on to cite various Democrats who ought to have been prosecuted for their misdeeds. Mark Levin, a Hannity guest, argued that the charges against Cohen weren’t just insignificant but meaningless: “You know what took place in the Southern District of New York? Nothing that matters. Zip-o. There was no violation of federal campaign laws.”

Hannity closed out his broadcast examining the sad story of an Iowa college student allegedly murdered by an undocumented immigrant — a tragic tale that’s already been weaponized by the right to justify anti-immigration measures — before declaring that America needed to do “some soul-searching,” because Cohen and Manafort were being unduly dragged through the legal process: “If Russian collusion becomes taxi medallions and tax fraud, if we ignore real Russian collusion, we’re going to lose the country.”

Fox News exists at the opposite end of the spectrum from MSNBC, a network that sometimes seems to be constructing a “Homeland”-style web of corruption, extending from the White House to Russia. But just because some parts of the narrative feel overworked doesn’t mean the whole story is ludicrous. If nothing else, two close associates of the President facing such extreme legal consequences on a single day suggests that a lawless atmosphere thrives in the White House, a reality that Fox News is contorting itself more and more to avoid acknowledging.

But having staked out ground as the defender of Trump early on — having committed to flattering and cajoling him even after his infamous insult to then-Fox News star Megyn Kelly — Fox News, with its evening lineup of opinion shows, has little room to maneuver. It’s not hard to imagine a situation in which the walls close in on Trump, and in which his last friend on the TV dial denies it’s happening at all.</s>President Donald Trump has waded into South Africa’s plans to seize and redistribute vast tracts of land from white farmers, saying in a post on Twitter late Wednesday that he had asked Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to “closely study” the farm expropriations and — without providing evidence — “the large scale killing of farmers.”

“South African Government is now seizing land from white farmers,” he declared.

The tweet prompted Khusela Diko, a spokeswoman for South Africa’s president, Cyril Ramaphosa, to say that Trump was “misinformed” about what the government describes as land reform, the state broadcaster said.

The government said Thursday that it would seek clarification from the U.S. Embassy, according to news reports.

“The presidency has noted Trump’s tweet, which is misinformed, in our view,” the state broadcaster quoted Diko as saying. “We will take up the matter through diplomatic channels.”

Land reform is a highly divisive issue in South Africa, where white residents, who make up 8 percent of the population, own 72 percent of land, according to official figures.

It is unclear why Trump weighed in on the country’s plans. But his comments were likely to inflame the issue in a country still struggling with the devastating effects of apartheid and widespread economic inequality decades after Nelson Mandela became the country’s first black president.

Ramaphosa announced this month that the governing African National Congress would move ahead with a proposal to change the country’s constitution and allow the expropriation of land without compensation.

A series of hearings on the subject has been held in the provinces in the past couple of months, as Parliament considers changing the law. The issue is tied to national elections next year.

While there have been some land grabs by private groups — not sanctioned by the government — some right-wing groups have been pushing the false narrative that there have been numerous seizures of white-owned farms and killings of white farmers.

In fact, research by one farmers’ organization, published in July, found that the number of killings of farmers was at a 20-year low.

Trump drew condemnation in January for using a vulgar term to describe Haiti and some African countries, a term that analysts said would please extremist groups in the United States, where the false narrative of “white genocide” has resonated.

Rex Tillerson, then secretary of state, sought to mend fences during a five-nation of Africa, promising $533 million in new aid.

Trump’s tweet on the situation in South Africa may have been inspired by Fox News host Tucker Carlson, who had presented on his nightly talk show what he called an exclusive investigation on South Africa, in which the host discussed land seizures and homicides there.

The plight of farmers has also drawn the attention of Australia’s foreign minister, Peter Dutton, who angered South African officials in March by calling for emergency visas for white farmers. He later retracted his comments, including suggesting that South Africa was not a “civilized country.”</s>Johannesburg (CNN) South Africa hit back at Donald Trump on Thursday after the US President criticized the country's land reform policies in an overnight tweet.

The controversy began when Trump tweeted late Wednesday that he had asked Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to "closely study the South Africa land and farm seizures and expropriations and the large scale killing of farmers."

I have asked Secretary of State @SecPompeo to closely study the South Africa land and farm seizures and expropriations and the large scale killing of farmers. "South African Government is now seizing land from white farmers." @TuckerCarlson @FoxNews — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 23, 2018

Trump's tweet appeared to be in response to a report on Fox News which alleged that the South African government was "seizing land from white farmers."

On Thursday, the South African government said Trump's tweet was "based on false information" and said it would call on the US Embassy to explain the President's remarks.

"South Africa totally rejects this narrow perception which only seeks to divide our nation and reminds us of our colonial past," the government tweeted. "South Africa will speed up the pace of land reform in a careful and inclusive manner that does not divide our nation."

South Africa totally rejects this narrow perception which only seeks to divide our nation and reminds us of our colonial past. #landexpropriation @realDonaldTrump @PresidencyZA — South African Government (@GovernmentZA) August 23, 2018

Read More</s>In this photo taken Oct. 30, 2017 people place white crosses, representing farmers killed in the country, at a ceremony at the Vorrtrekker Monument in Pretoria, South Africa. U.S. President Donald Trump has tweeted that he has asked the Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to "closely study the South African land and farm seizures and expropriations and the large scale killing of farmers." Trump added, "South African Government is now seizing land from white farmers." (AP Photo) ORG XMIT: XDF104

WASHINGTON — The South African government on Thursday slammed President Donald Trump’s tweet calling for the U.S. to examine South Africa’s land and “farm seizures” from white farmers.

Trump tweeted on Wednesday night that he had asked Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to look into “South Africa land and farm seizures and expropriations and the large scale killing of farmers.”

The president’s missive came shortly after Fox News aired a report asserting that the South African government is “now seizing land from white farmers,” which is not true.

“South Africa totally rejects this narrow perception which only seeks to divide our nation and reminds us of our colonial past,” the South African government tweeted in response to Trump’s statement.

South Africa is in the throes of a racially charged national debate over land reform, a lawful process that seeks to correct the legacy of decades of white minority rule that stripped blacks of their land. Today, nearly a quarter-century after the first democratic elections, black South Africans comprise 80 percent of the population but own just 4 percent of the country’s land, according to the government.

In July, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said his party would amend the constitution so the state could expropriate land without compensation to speed up the land reform process, but that has not yet happened and no land has been seized.

For years, a small but vocal group of white South Africans have claimed white farmers are the target of violent, racially motivated farm attacks. Experts say the attacks reflect the country’s generally high crime rate and that there is no evidence connecting them to the victims’ race.

Farm murders have been declining since their peak in 2001, according to research by Agri SA, an umbrella group of South African agricultural associations. In 2016-17, there were 74 murders during farm attacks, according to Africa Check , compared to 19,000 murders across the country in the same period.

On Thursday, U.S. State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert confirmed that Trump and Pompeo had spoken about the issue of land reform in South Africa.

“I can tell you that the Secretary and the president certainly discussed it,” Nauert said. “The president asked him to look at the current state of action with regard to land reform,” she said, and Pompeo plans to “take a look at it.”

Nauert said that expropriation of land without compensation “would risk sending South Africa down the wrong path.” She added that the U.S. has encouraged a “peaceful and transparent debate” about land rights in South Africa, adding “that seems to be happening right now.”

Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., took to Twitter to condemn Trump's "racially-charged" comments.

"Absolutely disgraceful that the president continues to target African nations and spread racially-charged claims that have no basis in evidence or fact," Booker wrote.

The former U.S. Ambassador to South African under President Obama also slammed Trump

"The President of the US needs political distractions to turn our gaze away from his criminal cabal, and so he’s attacking South Africa with the disproven racial myth of “large scale killings of farmers” This man has never visited the continent and has no discernible Africa policy," Gaspard tweeted.</s>WASHINGTON/JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday he had asked Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to study South African “land and farm seizures” and “killing of farmers”, prompting Pretoria to accuse Trump of stoking racial divisions.

Trump’s comments have inflamed an already high-octane debate over land in South Africa, a country that remains deeply racially divided and unequal nearly a quarter of a century after Nelson Mandela swept to power at the end of apartheid.

The rand currency ZAR=D3 dropped more than 1.5 percent against the U.S. dollar in early trade on Thursday after Trump's tweet had circulated in South Africa.

“I have asked Secretary of State @SecPompeo to closely study the South Africa land and farm seizures and expropriations and large scale killing of farmers,” Trump said on Twitter.

South Africa’s foreign ministry will seek clarification of Trump’s comments from the U.S. Embassy in Pretoria, President Cyril Ramaphosa’s spokeswoman said, adding that Trump was “misinformed”.

“South Africa totally rejects this narrow perception which only seeks to divide our nation and reminds us of our colonial past,” a tweet from South Africa’s official government account said in response to Trump’s comments.

The U.S. State Department was not immediately available for comment on Trump’s tweet.

Ramaphosa announced on Aug. 1 that the ruling African National Congress (ANC) plans to change the constitution to allow the expropriation of land without compensation, as whites still own most of South Africa’s land.

Ramaphosa has said any land reform will be conducted without an impact on economic growth or food security. No land has been “seized” since the reform plans were announced, the ANC says.

Trump’s tweet appeared to be a response to a Fox News report on Wednesday that focused on South Africa’s land issue and murders of white farmers.

Violent crime is a serious problem across South Africa and 47 farmers were killed in 2017-28, according to statistics from AgriSA, an association of agricultural associations. However, farm murders are at a 20-year low.

Since the end of apartheid in 1994, the ANC has followed a “willing-seller, willing-buyer” model under which the government buys white-owned farms for redistribution to blacks.

Progress has been slow and most South Africans believe something has to be done to accelerate change, providing it does not hurt the economy or stoke unrest.

“Reforming the land distribution and ownership will be good for South Africa,” said political analyst Nic Borain.

“That there will be instability and worries about property rights is inevitable, but we don’t expect that the government will act in a way that radically destabilizes investor security.”

Trump’s tweet came days after it was announced that his wife, Melania, would travel to Africa in October for her first major solo international trip as first lady.

In January, South Africa protested to the U.S. Embassy in Pretoria about reported remarks by Trump that some immigrants from Africa and Haiti came from “shithole” countries.

South Africa’s foreign ministry called the remarks, which sources said Trump made during a meeting on immigration legislation, “crude and offensive” and said Trump’s subsequent denial was not categorical.

AfriForum, an organization that mostly represents white South Africans who have described land expropriation as “catastrophic”, traveled to the United States earlier this year to lobby the Senate and other officials.
The government of South Africa rejects a tweet by U.S. President Donald Trump as "based on false information", in which he appeared to respond to a Fox News report stating that the South African government is "now seizing land from white farmers."