South Africa’s ruling party moves to debate land seizures amid Trump scrutiny

South Africa’s ruling party, the African National Congress, said Tuesday it withdrew a bill passed in 2016 allowing the state to seize land in exchange for money as a means to amend racial disparities. 

The withdrawal paves the way for a debate over constitutional change that could lead to the seizure of land without payment, according to Reuters.

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The issue was brought into the limelight in the U.S. after President Trump, reacting to a Fox News segment on the seizures, tweeted, “I have asked Secretary of State @SecPompeo to closely study the South Africa land and farm seizures and expropriations and the large scale killing of farmers. ‘South African Government is now seizing land from white farmers.’ @TuckerCarlson @FoxNews.”

I have asked Secretary of State @SecPompeo to closely study the South Africa land and farm seizures and expropriations and the large scale killing of farmers. “South African Government is now seizing land from white farmers.” @TuckerCarlson @FoxNews

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 22, 2018

Politifact rated Trump’s tweet as “mostly false,” clarifying that “only land which had been unfairly taken from black communities through discriminatory laws is considered for redistribution.”

It also emphasized that there is no evidence to suggest that the “large scale killing of farmers” is taking place.