Cape Town – The FW de Klerk Foundation has criticised President Cyril Ramaphosa for appearing to praise Zimbabwe’s controversial land reform policies from the early 2000s.
The foundation’s executive director, Christo van der Rheede, said Ramaphosa’s remarks ignore the devastation those policies caused, including economic collapse, violence, dispossession of farmers, and widespread famine.
“Rather than glorifying Zimbabwe’s tragic example, South Africa should confront its own underutilised alternatives. The state remains one of the largest landowners in the country, yet much of this land lies idle or is poorly managed. Before undermining private property rights, the government should release state-owned land transparently and equip emerging farmers with the skills, capital and support needed to thrive. Land reform without productivity condemns people to poverty. Reform with integrity and resources offers real dignity,” said Van der Rheede.
The foundation stressed that while South Africa must address its own history of dispossession, land reform should be pursued within the Constitution, balancing redress with property rights.
The FW de Klerk Foundation notes with deep concern the recent remarks by President Cyril Ramaphosa in which he appeared to praise Zimbabwe’s land redistribution policies, which were accompanied by violent invasions and human rights abuses. Learn more: https://t.co/hJbXVpUJF1 pic.twitter.com/gTSywo43iT
— FW de Klerk Foundation (@fwdeklerkfdn) September 4, 2025
“Zimbabwe’s land seizures in the early 2000s were accompanied by violent invasions and human rights abuses and ultimately left the country “in tatters, destroying its economy… and creating famine for its people”, according to some critics. That President Ramaphosa would hold up such a disaster as a positive example is profoundly alarming.
“As a foundation dedicated to constitutionalism and human rights, the FW de Klerk Foundation finds it incomprehensible that the Head of State would celebrate a policy that inflicted such harm on a neighbouring nation. President Ramaphosa’s remarks appear to reflect a blind political allegiance to Zimbabwe’s ruling party, placing solidarity above the lessons of history”
It rejected “expropriation without compensation” as unconstitutional and urged Ramaphosa to make clear that South Africa will not follow Zimbabwe’s failed example.
SOUTH Africa President Cyril Ramaphosa has commended Zimbabwe for its land reforms, saying this has energised the country’s agricultural sector.
Speaking at the official opening of this year’s Zimbabwe Agricultural Show in Harare yesterday, Ramaphosa said the agrarian reforms did… pic.twitter.com/DDBzDIq2xI— @DailyNewsZim (@DailyNewsZim) August 30, 2025
“South Africa’s own history of dispossession demands redress, but it must be pursued within the framework of our Constitution. Section 25 of the Constitution balances equitable land reform with the protection of property rights. While it permits expropriation, it forbids arbitrary deprivation of property. In contrast to Zimbabwe’s chaotic land grabs, our nation can address injustices through lawful reforms that uphold human dignity, social cohesion and economic growth. Expropriation without compensation (“EWC”), as contained in the Expropriation Act of 2024, remains inconsistent with these constitutional principles and should be rejected.”
Last week, Presidency spokesperson Vincent Magwenya defended Ramaphosa, explaining that his comments were made during a working visit to strengthen regional solidarity.
He emphasised Zimbabwe’s importance as a key trading partner for South Africa, noting exports worth over R69 billion in 2024.
“Zimbabwe is one of South Africa’s main trading partners in the SADC region. In 2024, South Africa exported R 69,21 billion worth of goods and merchandise to Zimbabwe compared to R 57,5 billion in 2023,” he said, according to The Citizen.
Follow African Insider on Facebook, X and Instagram
Picture: X/@PresidencyZA
Compiled by Betha Madhomu
