Latest news with #killtheBoer
The Herald
27-05-2025
- Politics
- The Herald
'It's a chant': Former president Thabo Mbeki defends 'kill the Boer' song
Former president Thabo Mbeki has defended the controversial 'kill the Boer' song, saying it's a struggle song and not meant to be taken literally. The song, which originated during the apartheid era as a liberation song, has resurfaced with the EFF singing it at their rallies. The song has sparked a controversy with white Afrikaner groups interpreting it as promoting violence against them. 'It was a chant during the days of struggle,' Mbeki said in an interview with SABC News. 'Chants of that kind in our tradition, in the African tradition, you don't take them literally.' He drew parallels with another song, 'Ngeke ngiye kwaZulu, kwa feli umama,' which translates to 'I won't go to Zululand because my mother died there', emphasising that such songs are not meant to be taken at face value. 'You don't mean that,' he said. Mbeki said the ANC policy has always been against the killing of civilians, and there's no evidence to suggest that uMkhonto we Sizwe soldiers were instructed to kill farmers. 'There's no uMkhonto we Sizwe soldier who went and killed a farmer. It's a chant to motivate people. It was never taken literally. Even during the course of the struggle, it was not literal. It's an exaggeration to take this as an instruction to go and kill. The people who are exaggerating know that they are exaggerating because they are trying to achieve some political purpose.' The song's controversy resurfaced recently when US President Donald Trump called for EFF leader Julius Malema's arrest, saying the song incites violence. During a meeting with President Cyril Ramaphosa, Trump played a video of Malema singing the song and presented articles on farm murders to support his narrative that white farmers are being persecuted in South Africa. 'It's puzzling to me that you've got a president who believes absolute lies,' Mbeki said. However, he emphasised the importance of mending ties with the US. 'We have a task to make sure that we get the people of the US on our side.' Earlier this year, the Constitutional Court dismissed a bid by AfriForum to have the song declared hate speech. The court denied AfriForum leave to appeal against the 2022 Equality Court ruling which found the song does not constitute hate speech and is protected under freedom of expression. TimesLIVE
TimesLIVE
26-05-2025
- Politics
- TimesLIVE
'It's a chant': Former president Thabo Mbeki defends 'kill the Boer' song
Former president Thabo Mbeki has defended the controversial 'kill the Boer' song, saying it's a struggle song and not meant to be taken literally. The song, which originated during the apartheid era as a liberation song, has resurfaced with the EFF singing it at their rallies. The song has sparked a controversy with white Afrikaner groups interpreting it as promoting violence against them. 'It was a chant during the days of struggle,' Mbeki said in an interview with SABC News. 'Chants of that kind in our tradition, in the African tradition, you don't take them literally.' He drew parallels with another song, 'Ngeke ngiye kwaZulu, kwa feli umama,' which translates to 'I won't go to Zululand because my mother died there', emphasising that such songs are not meant to be taken at face value. 'You don't mean that,' he said. Mbeki said the ANC policy has always been against the killing of civilians, and there's no evidence to suggest that uMkhonto we Sizwe soldiers were instructed to kill farmers. 'There's no uMkhonto we Sizwe soldier who went and killed a farmer. It's a chant to motivate people. It was never taken literally. Even during the course of the struggle, it was not literal. It's an exaggeration to take this as an instruction to go and kill. The people who are exaggerating know that they are exaggerating because they are trying to achieve some political purpose.' The song's controversy resurfaced recently when US President Donald Trump called for EFF leader Julius Malema's arrest, saying the song incites violence. During a meeting with President Cyril Ramaphosa, Trump played a video of Malema singing the song and presented articles on farm murders to support his narrative that white farmers are being persecuted in South Africa. 'It's puzzling to me that you've got a president who believes absolute lies,' Mbeki said. However, he emphasised the importance of mending ties with the US. 'We have a task to make sure that we get the people of the US on our side.' Earlier this year, the Constitutional Court dismissed a bid by AfriForum to have the song declared hate speech. The court denied AfriForum leave to appeal against the 2022 Equality Court ruling which found the song does not constitute hate speech and is protected under freedom of expression.
TimesLIVE
23-05-2025
- Politics
- TimesLIVE
Top five cringey moments from Ramaphosa's meeting with Trump
The meeting between President Cyril Ramaphosa and US President Donald Trump at the White House on Wednesday had several awkward moments that left many South Africans, including Ramaphosa and his delegation, embarrassed. Here are the top five cringey moments: 1. Trump's ambush with EFF leader Julius Malema's 'kill the Boer' video. Trump played a video of Malema singing the 'kill the Boer' song, catching Ramaphosa and his delegation off guard. While the video was playing, Ramaphosa visibility reacted and was seen clutching onto his chair, wiping his face and trying to interject to defend himself, while Trump interrupted him with claims of land confiscation in South Africa and killings of white farmers. Ramaphosa tried to explain that white farmers aren't the only ones being killed. 'There is criminality in our country. People get killed through criminal activity and they are not only white people. Most of them are black people,' Ramaphosa said. 2. Unverified burial sites of white farmers. Trump played a clip of what he claimed were burial sites of white farmers in South Africa, without providing any context or proof. 'These are burial sites of white farmers. It's a terrible sight, I've never seen anything like that,' Trump said. Ramaphosa looked shocked, asking where the sites were located, but none of his delegation seemed to know. 'I'd like to know where that is because this, I've never seen it,' Ramaphosa said. Trump then pulled out articles about farm murders, trying to support his narrative of white genocide. 3. Trump vs the journalist. When a journalist asked about a luxurious jet gifted to the US government by Qatar, Trump became defensive, telling the reporter to leave and accusing NBC of trying to change the subject. He criticised the journalist, saying they were 'not smart enough' to be a reporter and NBC was a 'terrible network'. 'You don't have what it takes to be a reporter, you're not smart enough. You ought to go back to your studio at NBC, you ought to be investigated. You're a disgrace, no more questions from you. You should be ashamed of yourself. You're such a bad reporter.' 4. Ramaphosa stepping in to answer for Trump. Asked what it would take for Trump to believe there's no white genocide in South Africa, Ramaphosa jumped in to answer, saying, 'It would take Trump listening to the voices of South Africans. I won't be repeating what I've been saying.' Ramaphosa added that if there were a genocide, the white members of his delegation wouldn't be present. Some people on social media welcomed his response, while others wanted to hear Trump's thoughts. 5. Trump dictating who Ramaphosa should bring to the meeting. Ramaphosa revealed that Trump had told him to bring renowned golfers Ernie Els and Retief Goosen to the meeting. Some South Africans felt Trump was overstepping, dictating who Ramaphosa should bring along. The delegation also included businessman Johann Rupert and minister of agriculture John Steenhuisen.
The Herald
23-05-2025
- Politics
- The Herald
'Group of older men gossip about me': Malema on White House video clip
EFF leader Julius Malema has responded to a clip of him singing the controversial 'kill the Boer' chant after it was played during President Cyril Ramaphosa's meeting with US President Donald Trump at the White House on Wednesday. Trump played the clip to try to prove claims of white genocide in South Africa, which Ramaphosa's delegation denied, saying that violent crime affects all South Africans, not just white farmers. Malema took to social media, describing the leaders and their delegation as 'a group of older men' who met to 'gossip about him'. He said there's no evidence to prove white genocide, despite him consistently singing the song. 'No significant amount of intelligence evidence has been produced about white genocide,' Malema said. 'We will not agree to compromise our political principles on land expropriation without compensation for political expediency.'
TimesLIVE
22-05-2025
- Politics
- TimesLIVE
'Group of older men gossip about me': Malema on White House video clip
EFF leader Julius Malema has responded to a clip of him singing the controversial 'kill the Boer' chant after it was played during President Cyril Ramaphosa's meeting with US President Donald Trump at the White House on Wednesday. Trump played the clip to try to prove claims of white genocide in South Africa, which Ramaphosa's delegation denied, saying that violent crime affects all South Africans, not just white farmers. Malema took to social media, describing the leaders and their delegation as 'a group of older men' who met to 'gossip about him'. He said there's no evidence to prove white genocide, despite him consistently singing the song. 'No significant amount of intelligence evidence has been produced about white genocide,' Malema said. 'We will not agree to compromise our political principles on land expropriation without compensation for political expediency.'
