The Democratic Alliance (DA) has slammed Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema’s “Kill the Boer” chant, claiming that it incites violence, fuels hatred, and deepens divisions within our society.
This comes after the EFF insisted that it will not back down from singing the controversial song with the lyrics, “Kill the Boer, kill the farmer,” despite growing calls to shun it in public discourse.
The DA‘s national spokesperson Willie Aucamp said the inflammatory “Kill the Boer” chant has no place in society, regardless of any legal ruling on its constitutionality.
He voiced concern that the song continues to be sung by Malema and other political figures and is deeply troubling and unacceptable.
“The song 'Kill the Boer, kill the farmer' goes beyond mere words. It incites violence, stokes hatred, and deepens divisions within our society,” Aucamp said.
On Thursday, IOL News reported that the Constitutional Court has dismissed a leave to appeal by AfriForum, an advocacy group determined to ban the song, arguing that is it inflammatory.
In a ruling handed down on Thursday, the apex court said the application bears no reasonable prospects for success.
Aucamp, however, argued that the country should be focused on unity and healing, and that the song “Kill the Boer, kill the farmer” serves only to deepen the existing rifts between communities.
“Farmers play an essential role in feeding the nation, and to see their work and lives targeted by such harmful rhetoric is an affront to the values of respect and dignity we should uphold,” he said.
He added that such divisive language has not only had local repercussions, but international ones as well.
“South Africa’s reputation on the global stage is at risk when such hatred is openly condoned, making our country more vulnerable to external scrutiny,” Aucamp said.
“We cannot afford to further polarise our society or undermine the international standing we’ve fought so hard to build.”
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Aucamp emphasised that the court’s ruling, though controversial, should not be seen as a validation of the song’s acceptability in the broader social context.
“This song, and the environment it creates, contradicts the principles of nation-building, social cohesion, and mutual respect that South Africa so desperately needs,” he said.
He added that political leaders have a responsibility to foster peace and unity, not to incite violence or deepen social unrest.
“President Ramaphosa also has a responsibility to condemn the singing of this song and not deflect and minimise the issue,” Aucamp added.
IOL Politics