Julius Malema Sparks Debate After He Sings Kill the Boer on Human Rights Day

• The Economic Freedom Fighters' president, Julius Malema, caused a ruckus on social media when he once again sang the Kill the Boer song
• Malema was attending a rally commemorating Human Rights Day and the Sharpeville massacre at Sharpeville in Gauteng
• Many South Africans were divided over his singing, despite being cleared of hate speech after an extended court case over the song

Tebogo Mokwena, a Briefly News current affairs journalist in Johannesburg, South Africa, has covered policy changes, cabinet reshuffles, the State of the Nation Address, Parliament and Parliamentary committees, politician-related news and elections at Daily Sun and Vutivi Business News for over seven years.

JOHANNESBURG — The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) president Julus Malem caused a stir on social media after singing the Kill The Boer chant in Sharpeville, Gauteng on 21 March 2025.

Where did Malema sing the chant?

Malema sang the chant at the Dlomo Dam in Sharpeville. The EFF named the day "EFF Sharpeville Day" to commemorate the Sharpeville massacre which happened in 1961. The Apartheid police fired over 1500 rounds into a crowd of protesters who were gathered outside the Sharpeville Police Station to protest the pass laws passed by the Apartheid government.

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Malema addressed the crowd and spoke about the Expropriation Bill, Donald Trump and Elon Musk. He slammed the USA and accused it of being interested in diplomacy. He said South Africans would fight for the land to be restored to its rightful owners. He then closed his address off with the Kill the Boer chant. Journalist Samkele Maseko posted the video on his @samkelemaseko X account.

Watch the X video here:

What you need to know about the song

• Malema appeared before the Equality Court in August 2022 after Afriforum laid charges against him of hate speech for singing the song at a rally and denied he sang the song
• The court ruled in the same month that singing the song does not constitute hate speech and AfriForum lost its case
• Days later, AfriForum announced that it would appeal the court's ruling not to declare the song hate speech
• Patriotic Alliance president Gayton McKenzie slammed the song in 2023 and said it had no place in a democratic South Africa
• Former president Thabo Mbeki condemned Malema singing the song during an address at the University of South Africa the same year

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South Africans react to the song

Netizens shared mixed expressions about the song.

Sarcastic Suzie said:

"A 9 percenter trying to remain relevant."

Nicole Barlow said:

"Potentially, the most irrelevant person in South Africa is Malema."

Deraph said:

"Even if we get too excited about this, Julius won't be the president of this country."

Lindie Langa said:

"Afriforum and Solidarity asked for it. Don't poke a sleeping elephant."

Jabulani Shangase said:

"Julius is childish. That slogan no longer appears to be necessary in today's South Africa."

Kerotse said:

"A leader of his statute must know the damage he is doing. We don't need this type of leadership. It's not like South Africa is a country that can afford to lose allies and friends."

Julus Malema responds to Elon Musk calling him an international criminal

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Source: Briefly News