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FW DE KLERK FOUNDATION CALLS FOR FACT-BASED DIPLOMACY ON PROPERTY RIGHTS AND RURAL SAFETY BY AMBASSADOR BOZELL
Issued by Christo van der Rheede on behalf of the FW de Klerk Foundation on 26/02/2026
The FW de Klerk Foundation notes the arrival of Ambassador Leo Brent Bozell III as the United States’ top diplomat to South Africa. As a Foundation dedicated to upholding the South African Constitution and the 1994 National Accord, we welcome the Ambassador’s stated commitment to a “fact-based” assessment of the challenges facing our constitutional democracy.
In light of recent international rhetoric regarding “genocide” and “mass land grabs“, the Foundation seeks to clarify the legal and social realities of South Africa, urging the US Mission to adopt a fact-based perspective that supports our democratic institutions.
1. Rejecting the “Genocide” Narrative in Favour of the Rule of Law
The Foundation wishes to reiterate its long-standing position: while the brutal nature of farm attacks is a matter of grave national concern, categorising these crimes as “white genocide” is factually inaccurate and politically inflammatory.
- The Reality: These attacks occur within a broader, national crisis of violent crime and a “criminal environment of impunity“.
- The Call to Action: We urge Ambassador Bozell to report to President Trump that the solution lies not in international alarmism, but in pressuring the South African government to restore rural safety and professionalise the South African Police Service (“SAPS”) for the benefit of all citizens.
2. Guarding Against Legislative Overreach in Land Reform
The Foundation remains deeply concerned by the Expropriation Act of 2024. We view certain provisions—specifically those allowing for “nil compensation“—as fundamentally “legally unsound” and a threat to Section 25 of our Constitution.
- Not a “Land Grab“: It is vital for our international partners to understand that South Africa is not experiencing lawless seizures. We are a nation governed by laws, and the Foundation is prepared to challenge any unconstitutional application of this Act in the Constitutional Court.
- Economic Stability: We encourage the US to help promote the expansion of land ownership and title deeds for all South Africans. It is mainly black and brown rural dwellers living in former homelands and on mission land who do not enjoy the benefit of property rights. South African property owners must be supported by advocating for “fair and equitable” compensation, so that the agricultural sector remains a pillar of the economy and a key player in AGOA. Support for the current land reform programme is also critical.
3. Strengthening the Government of National Unity (GNU)
The Foundation believes the best defence for minority rights and the market economy is the success of the current Government of National Unity.
“The 1994 National Agreement was a promise of a multiparty, non-racial and inclusive democracy,” states Christo van der Rheede, Executive Director of the FW de Klerk Foundation. “By focusing on the facts of our coalition government, Ambassador Bozell can help move the US narrative away from grievances and toward a partnership that rewards compliance with the Constitution and implementation of the Bill of Human Rights.”
A Roadmap for the Ambassador
The FW de Klerk Foundation invites Ambassador Bozell to deeply research and engage with a broad range of South African institutions on:
- Constitutional Compliance: Monitoring the erosion of non-racialism in state policy.
- Property Rights: Defending the principle of “just and equitable” compensation and ensuring that land reform is effectively and efficiently implemented.
- The Rule of Law: Ensuring that the 2026 AGOA review reflects South Africa’s commitment to its founding democratic values.
- Economy Growth and Job Creation: Ensure that American companies in South Africa continue to invest in South Africa and that both countries enjoy the benefit of trade agreements based on fairness, free market access and sustainability.
About the FW de Klerk Foundation
The FW de Klerk Foundation promotes the vision of a united South Africa by supporting the Constitution, the Bill of Rights and the rule of law. We act as a watchdog for the constitutional principles that ended Apartheid and established a free, peaceful and economically just society.
PUBLIC LAND IS A CONSTITUTIONAL INSTRUMENT, NOT A BALANCE-SHEET ENTRY
The Constitutional Court’s Tafelberg judgment confirms that well-located public land cannot be treated merely as a commercial asset when it can help reverse apartheid’s spatial legacy. Where affordable housing is built matters, because access to employment, transport, education and essential services forms part of meaningful access to adequate housing. Municipalities and provinces must therefore manage and dispose of public land transparently, with genuine public participation and proper regard for its constitutional value.
LESSONS FROM THE 2026 GTAC CONFERENCE
The 2026 GTAC Public Economics Conference highlighted a central truth: South Africa’s employment crisis cannot be solved by training people for jobs that do not exist. Sustainable progress requires evidence-based policy, smarter public spending and greater support for the informal, township and rural economies where millions already earn their livelihoods. Ultimately, the Constitution demands a state that protects dignity, removes barriers to opportunity and measures success by real outcomes rather than the number of programmes funded.
FW DE KLERK FOUNDATION ON WITHHOLDING OF MUNICIPAL TRANSFERS
The FW de Klerk Foundation notes National Treasury’s decision to withhold transfers to non-compliant municipalities and Parliament’s call for their urgent compliance. These developments confirm what has become crystal clear: Many municipalities across South Africa faces a deep and persistent governance crisis.