Zimbabwe Was Punished. Now It’s South Africa’s Turn?

What’s happening to South Africa today mirrors what Zimbabwe faced decades ago a pushback from Western powers when former colonies attempt to reclaim their land. This thread explores the parallels between the land reform efforts in Zimbabwe and South Africa, the broken promises of the UK and US, and why land redistribution remains such a hot-button issue in global politics.

When Zimbabwe gained independence in 1980, a small white minority roughly 5% of the population still controlled most of the country’s arable land. Land reform was urgent, but delayed. During the 1979 Lancaster House Conference, Robert Mugabe agreed to hold off on forced land seizures. In exchange, the British government led by Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher pledged to fund a fair land redistribution process. The idea was simple: white landowners would sell voluntarily, Britain would pay, and the land would be transferred to Black Zimbabweans.

But by the mid-1990s, very little had changed. Millions remained without land, and pressure mounted. In 1997, under Tony Blair’s leadership, the UK abandoned its commitment. Blair’s development secretary went on record saying Britain had “no special responsibility” to follow through. With that, the deal collapsed.

By 2000, Mugabe’s government launched the Fast-Track Land Reform program. Land was taken from white farmers often abruptly and without compensation. The West responded harshly: sanctions, aid cuts, and diplomatic isolation followed. Western media painted Mugabe as a tyrant, and his own violent political legacy like the Gukurahundi massacres made it easy to demonize him. White farmers fled. Black Zimbabweans inherited the land but were left without the support systems credit, training, or market access needed to succeed. The land changed hands, but the power structures remained untouched.

Zimbabwe’s economy soon spiraled. Hyperinflation, food shortages, and mass poverty followed. The global narrative became: “This is what happens when Black people take the land.”

Now, look at South Africa. Apartheid officially ended in 1994. Yet nearly three decades later, about 72% of the country’s farmland is still owned by white South Africans. Despite having had five Black presidents since then, deep inequalities persist. Frustration is growing especially among the youth and rural populations.

The recent passing of South Africa’s Expropriation Act allowing land to be taken without compensation under specific conditions has sparked international concern, especially in the West. Some figures, including former U.S. President Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk, have promoted the debunked narrative of a “white genocide” in South Africa. Ironically, even Musk’s own AI platform contradicts that claim. Yet disinformation has spread widely, especially through platforms like X (formerly Twitter), stoking fear and resistance to land reform.

But this isn’t about genocide it’s about power. Land reform threatens entrenched economic structures that were built on colonial theft. Redistributing land challenges long-standing systems of racial and financial dominance.

South Africa, as a member of BRICS a bloc that includes Brazil, Russia, India, and China is actively moving toward partnerships that reduce reliance on Western institutions. That shift makes Western powers nervous. For decades, African nations have been subjected to foreign control dressed up as aid or development. Now that they’re asserting autonomy, the old powers respond with fear tactics, economic pressure, and media spin.

This isn’t about protecting democracy or human rights. It’s about maintaining control. Zimbabwe was punished for challenging the status quo. South Africa is now facing similar threats. The pattern is clear.

WRITTEN BY: KEHINDE SAMSON