EFF Criticises the USA’s Gun Culture After Charlie Kirk’s Murder, Sparks Mixed Reactions Online
- The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) has released a statement following the murder of political activist Charlie Kirk
- The party also questioned whether fans and teams would be safe when the United States hosts the FIFA World Cup
- South Africans weighed in on the EFF's statement, with some questioning whether it should focus on international affairs
Source: Getty Images
Briefly News journalist Byron Pillay has dedicated a decade to reporting on the South African political landscape, crime, and social issues. He spent 10 years working for the Northern Natal Courier before transitioning to online journalism.
GAUTENG – The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) has weighed in on the rising gun violence in the United States of America, but some South Africans are questioning why the party doesn’t focus on local issues first.
The Red Berets shared a statement on X (formerly Twitter) about the escalating cases of gun violence in the country in the wake of the murder of Charlie Kirk. The 31-year-old American right-wing political activist was shot dead while speaking at a university in Utah.
What did the EFF have to say about Kirk’s murder?
In the statement on Thursday, 11 September 2025, the party noted with concern the cases of violence involving guns in the US, stating that Kirk was a strong advocate for unrestricted access to firearms.
“It is not lost on us that the very same man who argued that lives lost are a price worth paying for gun rights has himself become a casualty of the very system he championed,” the statement read.
The party argued that the murder of Kirk was a mirror held up to American culture, saying that the so-called freedom to carry weapons had now turned into a freedom to die by them. The EFF further claimed that the same nation that invaded and bombed other countries in the name of ‘human rights’, was unable to control the bloodshed in its own streets.
“The chickens have indeed come home to roost,” the EFF said.
Source: Getty Images
EFF notes how many shootings targeted children
The party also noted with concern the number of shootings that happened at schools in the country. In 2023, the country recorded 46,728 firearm-related deaths, with 46 lives lost in at least 82 school shootings. In 2024, the US experienced 83 school shootings, which left at least 38 people dead. By the middle of 2025, there have been approximately 91 incidents of gunfire on school grounds.
“These statistics are not from a warzone, but from a country that tells the world it embodies security and democracy. Year after year, the US Congress resists reform, proving that the profits of gun manufacturers and the ideology of "freedom at all costs" take precedence over the lives of schoolchildren.”
With gun violence a major talking point in the US, the EFF questioned whether the football governing body, FIFA, could ignore this. The US is one of the host nations of the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup, but the EFF is concerned that the country would not be able to ensure the safety of the teams, their delegations, and the fans if mass shootings were almost weekly news.
How did South Africans react to the statement?
The party’s statement stirred up mixed reactions online. Some found it fitting that the EFF was noting the problems in the US after Donald Trump claimed that terrible things were happening in the country.
Others questioned why the party didn’t focus on local issues, like the gun violence in the Western Cape.
@V_Ketshabile said:
“For a moment I thought it was about the Western Cape.”
@JustXavierB noted:
“Dololo on the Cape Flats or recent shootings in WC. EFF really hates South Africans, neh.”
@Anam_Myolwa stated:
“Worry about your own first.”
@ifti_235 added:
“Bad things are happening in America.”
@FanyaMambo254 stated:
“A valid point is raised regarding the importance of safety and security for a major international event.”
@Gavel_And_Grit said:
“How about this sort of effort for our own gun violence. 🥵Your leader shoots guns for fun. Literally.”
@Timeless_Report added:
“The USA does not care about the EFF. Just focus on local issues instead, you are still battling with by-elections, that’s where your focus must be.”
@javasmjavino said:
“You forgot to mention the killings in the Cape Flats, killings in Congo, and killings of Christians in some states in Nigeria. The ongoing war in Somalia, Sudan and parts of Mozambique. But here you are, worried about the USA, but are calling yourselves Pan Africanists. Bloody Hypocrites.”
@LungzHimself stated:
“I’m not an EFF supporter, but this is a brilliant post😂.”
Other stories related to Kirk and South Africa
Briefly News reported that Kirk was no stranger to sharing his thoughts about the country, and prominent South Africans also weighed in after his murder.
In August 2025, Kirk went viral in the country after a video surfaced of him debating the issue of land ownership in South Africa.
Former South African Olympic swimmer, Roland Schoeman, urged people not to celebrate Kirk's death.
Renowned broadcaster Gareth Cliff sparked a discussion on social media after weighing in on Kirk's assassination.
Source: Briefly News
