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WORLD NEWS Friday 24 august 2018
South Africa blasts Trump over racially divisive tweet

By KRISTA MAHR Trump's tweet did find some
Associated Press supporters.
JOHANNESBURG (AP) — AfriForum, a group that
South Africa's government represents some white
lashed out at President South African interests,
Donald Trump on Thursday welcomed his comments.
after he tweeted that his In May, its leaders went
administration would be to the U.S. to lobby institu-
looking into farm seizures tions and politicians about
and the "large scale killing Ramaphosa's proposal to
of farmers" in the country. expropriate land and the
The government said alleged targeting of white
Trump's tweet was based farmers.
on "false information" and Earlier this month the group
reflected a "narrow per- posted a list of farms it said
ception which only seeks were earmarked for expro-
to divide our nation and priation, a list that the gov-
reminds us of our colo- ernment said was fake.
nial past." It was meeting "Everyone in South Africa
with the U.S. Embassy as it should . hope that the pres-
sought to clarify Trump's re- In this photo taken Oct. 30, 2017 people place white crosses, representing farmers killed in the sure from the USA will lead
marks. country, at a ceremony at the Vorrtrekker Monument in Pretoria, South Africa. to the (ruling party) re-
South Africa is in the throes Associated Press considering the disastrous
of a racially charged na- route that they want to
tional debate over land re- speed up the land reform of their land, cause land rica Check , compared to take South Africa on," Afri-
form, a lawful process that process. prices to plummet or make 19,000 murders across the Forum's CEO Kallie Kriel said
seeks to correct the legacy Debate over the issue has them the target of poten- country in the same period. in a statement on Thursday.
of decades of white minor- grown ahead of next year's tially violent land seizures. "People are not being tar- AfriForum and other critics
ity rule that stripped blacks election. For years, a small but vocal geted because of their say the government's pro-
of their land. Trump's tweet followed a group of white South Afri- race, but because they are posal to expropriate land
Today, nearly a quarter- segment on Fox News on cans have claimed white vulnerable and isolated on without compensation
century after the first dem- Wednesday in which host farmers are the target of the farms," said Gareth Ne- could lead to economic
ocratic elections, black Tucker Carlson claimed violent, racially motivated wham, head of the crime disaster, pointing to the
South Africans comprise 80 Ramaphosa had already farm attacks. and justice program at the collapse of the agricultural
percent of the population started "seizing land from Experts say the attacks re- Institute for Security Studies sector in neighboring Zim-
but own just 4 percent of his own citizens without flect the country's generally in the capital, Pretoria. babwe after the govern-
the country's land, accord- compensation because high crime rate and that "There is no white geno- ment of former President
ing to the government. they are the wrong skin there is no evidence con- cide in South Africa," Julius Robert Mugabe began
Though the ruling African color," calling the alleged necting them to victims' Malema, leader of the op- seizing white-owned farms,
National Congress, which seizures "immoral." race. position Economic Free- sometimes violently, in
has been in power since Though South Africa's con- Farm murders have been dom Fighters party, told 2000.
1994, has pledged to close stitution has not yet been declining since their peak reporters. "There is black "We are going to take back
that gap, progress has amended and the govern- in 2001, according to re- genocide in the USA; black the land and we'll do it by
been slow. In July, Presi- ment has not seized any search by Agri SA, an um- people are killed every any means necessary,"
dent Cyril Ramaphosa said major agricultural land, the brella group of South Afri- day. There is a black geno- said Lindsay Maasdorp, na-
his party would amend the prospect has sent panic can agricultural associa- cide here in South Africa; tional spokesman for Black
constitution so the state through some white farm- tions. In 2016-17, there were just recently a farmer was First Land First, a group that
could expropriate land ing communities who worry 74 murders during farm convicted for the murder condones land seizures in
without compensation to the policy will strip them attacks, according to Af- of a black farmer." South Africa.q