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South African assets fall after Trump says will cut off funding
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South African assets fall after Trump says will cut off funding
Feb 3, 2025 3:16 AM

By Tannur Anders

JOHANNESBURG, Feb 3 (Reuters) - South Africa's rand,

stocks and government bonds fell on Monday after U.S. President

Donald Trump said he would cut off funding to the country.

Trump said on Sunday, without citing evidence, that "certain

classes of people" in South Africa were being treated "very

badly" and he would suspend aid until the matter was

investigated.

He said South Africa was confiscating land, 10 days after

President Cyril Ramaphosa signed into law legislation that

allows the state to expropriate land in the public interest

under certain circumstances.

Trump's comments, made in a Truth Social post, did not

directly name the expropriation act.

At 1035 GMT, the rand traded at 18.94 against the U.S.

dollar, about 1.2% weaker than its closing level on

Friday. Earlier in the day it was down almost 2%.

On the Johannesburg Stock Exchange, the Top-40 index last

traded down about 1%, while the benchmark 2030

government bond tumbled as the yield rose 15.5 basis

points to 9.21%.

"South Africa has found itself in Trump's crosshairs," said

Danny Greeff, co-head of Africa at ETM Analytics.

"Whether it is because of the land expropriation act, as

President Trump says, or a warning shot over South Africa's

contrarian positions on issues related to Russia and Palestine,

President Ramaphosa has a fine line to walk to appease

Washington," Greeff added.

South Africa's foreign ministry responded to Trump on Monday

by saying its expropriation act was not exceptional, while

Ramaphosa said he would engage with Trump.

Except for PEPFAR aid, which constitutes 17% of South

Africa's HIV/Aids programme, Ramaphosa said the United States

did not provide any other significant funding.

South Africa's expropriation law aims to address racial

disparities in land ownership, and special conditions have to be

met before land is seized.

Trump imposed tariffs on Canada, China and Mexico at the

weekend, sending global currencies to multi-year lows on Monday.

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