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Relations between the US and SA are at an all-time low after Trump cut financial aid to SA and ambassador Ebrahim Rasool being expelled.
EFF Julius Malema was addressing supporters gathered at the Dlomo Dam in Sharpeville to commemorate Human Rights Day on Friday. Picture: X/@EFFSouthAfrica
EFF leader Julius Malema has warned that the party is going to fight for the return of land in South Africa whether US President Donald Trump “likes it or not”.
Malema was addressing supporters gathered at Dlomo Dam in Sharpeville to commemorate Human Rights Day on Friday.
SA-US tensions
The EFF leader’s remarks come as relations between the US and South Africa are at an all-time low after Trump cut financial aid to South Africa, citing Pretoria taking Israel to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and “strengthening ties with Iran, which supports terrorism globally”.
Trump’s administration has been vocally critical of the land seizure law after President Cyril Ramaphosa signed the Expropriation Act in January.
“South Africa is confiscating land and treating certain classes of people VERY BADLY,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform last month.
Watch Julius Malema speaking about fighting for the land and not being worried about Trump
[WATCH] " Whether Donald Trump likes it or not we are going to fight for the return of land in South Africa," EFF Leader Julius Malema told supporters gathered at the Dlomo Dam in Shapeville to commemorate Human Rights Day.#Newzroom405 pic.twitter.com/G7NqppFu1x
— Newzroom Afrika (@Newzroom405) March 21, 2025
ALSO READ: WATCH: US’ message to other ambassadors after ‘unacceptable’ Rasool remarks
EFF fighting for land
Malema said they would not give up fighting for land.
“Why does this government not tell the USA that when white races refused equality, Nelson Mandela said they must just be confronted with arms and that today we are better because we are confronting racism with legislation and the constitution to expropriate land without compensation.
“The approach of this government, which seeks to plead with imperialism, is cowardice and we must never allow it,” Malema said.
‘US not interested’
Malema said the US was “not interested in diplomacy”.
“The USA is interested in dominance over us by any means necessary and we must stand up and fight for ourselves, because we represent a historical mission. That mission is the return of the land. Whether Donald Trump likes it or not, we are going to fight for the return of the land in South Africa.”
Ebrahim Rasool
The remarks by South African ambassador to the US, Ebrahim Rasool, about Trump were “unacceptable,” a State Department spokesperson told reporters on Tuesday.
Rasool’s participation in a seminar by the Mapungubwe Institute for Strategic Reflection about Trump’s policy stance on South Africa, claiming that Trump (and, later, Musk) were leading a global white supremacist movement, further soured relations between the two countries and was the last straw for the Trump administration.
ALSO READ: ‘Rasool had one job… he was clearly a red flag to a bull for Trump’ – expert
‘Persona non grata’
Rasool was expelled on Friday by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Rubio wrote on Elon Musk’s social media platform X that Rasool “is no longer welcome in our great country” and that the country considers him “persona non grata”.
He described Rasool as a “race-baiting politician who hates America and hates Potus (the president of the United States)”.
‘Remarks unacceptable’
At a daily briefing on Monday, US State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce told reporters Rasool’s remarks were “unacceptable.”
Bruce said after Rubio made his decision, senior-level diplomats “convoked” the South African embassy staff for an in-person meeting at the State Department.
“At this meeting, our officials delivered the official notification of ambassador Rasool’s persona non-grata status and it was done.
“These remarks were unacceptable to the United States, not just the president, but to every American. At the very least, what we should expect is a standard of some respect – basic, low-level respect – if you’re in a position that is going to help facilitate any kind of diplomatic relationship with another country,” Bruce said.
US-SA policy
Bruce also said the Trump administration was conducting a “serious review” of Washington’s South Africa policy, citing South Africa’s land policy, its growing ties with countries like Russia and Iran and “aggressive positions” toward the US and allies, including accusing Israel of genocide.
On Monday, President Cyril Ramaphosa confirmed that Rasool would return to South Africa and provide him with a full report on the situation.
ALSO READ: ‘US didn’t follow correct diplomatic processes to expel Rasool’ – Lamola says
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