Another controversial Donald Trump tweet:
This has raised concerns in South Africa.
CNN: South Africa hits back at ‘unfortunate’ Trump tweet on land reform
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.”
“Hysterical comments and statements do not assist in the process,” Khusela Diko, spokeswoman for President Cyril Ramaphosa, told CNN. “The majority of South Africans want to see land reform. The majority of our farmers, white and black want to be a part of this initiative.”
Land is a complex issue in South Africa. Racist policies of the past forcefully removed black and non-white South Africans from the land for white use.
There has been a land redistribution and restitution provision in the country’s constitution since South Africa held its first democratic elections in 1994. The government has been criticized for not moving quickly enough to settle land disputes.
If Trump and the US have concerns over land reforms in South Africa tweeting about it seems a dumb way to raise the issue.
Joe Bloggs
/ August 24, 2018another trumpian twitter smoke screen intended to deflect attention from more pressing legal matters closer to home.
Republicans are now asking what they should do with trump. Here’s an idea: what would they do if it were Obama? Do that.
Corky
/ August 24, 2018They haven’t got the balls, Joe. They are as weak as Obama.
Joe Bloggs
/ August 24, 2018For once we agree Corky, they haven’t got the balls.
sorethumb
/ August 24, 2018There are much bigger issues around American politics than the things they are trying to get Trump on. Trying to prove Russian collusion is secondary to trying to prove that there isn’t a great (progressive created) rift in US society etc.
sorethumb
/ August 24, 2018Of course you won’t like this one will you. After all South Africa represents universalism and a social justice solution: next stop Israel etc.
Joe Bloggs
/ August 24, 2018Nah, it’s much simpler than that thumbkin. This is the first time ever that trump has used the word Africa in all his tweets…
Ockham’s razor – the simplest reason is usually the right reason. trump tweeted this to divert attention away from his tragic week.
PDB
/ August 24, 2018A shame Trump brought it up for his own purposes as what is happening in South Africa should be seriously looked into.
David
/ August 24, 2018He is letting South Africa know the route its government is taking to disguise the terrible way its running things is the wrong way, we have seen it in Zimbabwe and more leaders need to speak out.
Kitty Catkin
/ August 24, 2018He is hardly in a position to criticise other countries.
Alan Wilkinson
/ August 24, 2018The SA ANC government has now made farms unsaleable and zero value. Trump will be the least of their problems.
sorethumb
/ August 24, 2018I never thought of that.
thesailor
/ August 24, 2018“South Africa totally rejects this narrow perception which only seeks to divide our nation and reminds us of our colonial past”
Trump has rather successfully managed to elicit a cardboard-cutout response from the South African Government that could have been written by a thirteen-year-old Guardian reader, and which makes not the slightest attempt to address the issue raised in his tweet.
It can be loosely translated as: “We will destroy the hated white farmers and turn this once lovely and productive land into a fiscal and agricultural desert, just as our corrupt and gormless pals up the way have done to theirs.”
“tweeting about it seems a dumb way to raise the issue.” — I’m not sure about that.
sorethumb
/ August 24, 2018It reminds me of “we must not let these people speak in our country” – S&M.
Gezza
/ August 24, 2018He doesn’t tweet about his good mates the Saudis murdering more Yemeni kids yet again. This a puzzle. Is there something happening that he wants to distract everybody from at the moment?
Kitty Catkin
/ August 24, 2018No….what COULD there be ?
Kitty Catkin
/ August 24, 2018Dear Donald Trump
Mind your own business and sort out your own country.
South Africa