Thousands of red-beret-clad supporters gathered in Khayelitsha over the weekend as the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) marked its 12th anniversary.
But the celebration quickly reignited political and legal tensions when party leader Julius Malema once again led the crowd in chanting the liberation song “Kill the Boer”, a move that has drawn fierce criticism both locally and internationally.
Addressing the crowd on Saturday, Malema stood defiant in the face of controversy.
“There are courts in South Africa, and the courts have said there is nothing wrong with this song,” he declared.
“This is not my song; I did not compose this song. I found this song. The struggle heroes composed this song. All I am doing is defending the legacy of a struggle; this is the heritage of our struggle.’
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He alleges that the lack of proper housing, sanitation, and services in townships like Khayelitsha,… pic.twitter.com/7atZ69gM6I
— MDN NEWS (@MDNnewss) July 26, 2025
Malema insisted the chant is part of the liberation movement’s history, saying, “I will never stop singing a song that Winnie Mandela sang before she died. That would be a betrayal to the struggle of our people.”
The chant known as “Dubul’ ibhunu” has been legally and symbolically contested in South Africa for over a decade. Though a court initially ruled it constituted hate speech in 2011, the Johannesburg High Court later overturned that decision, declaring the song lawful when sung in a historical or political context.
In March this year, the Constitutional Court upheld that ruling, refusing AfriForum’s appeal to have the chant legally banned.
Despite the court’s stance, critics argue the song incites racial hatred. AfriForum labelled the ruling “a tragedy for minority safety”, claiming it “legalises calls for the murder of Afrikaners and farmers”.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) also condemned the EFF’s use of the song, with DA leader John Steenhuisen stating he would raise the matter at the United Nations Human Rights Council.
But Malema rejected the international backlash, saying, “No one wants to kill white people. We are saying to white people: let us live together in peace. But we cannot live in peace unless you return what you stole from us — the land.”
[WATCH] “There is no white genocide; there is no one who wants to kill white people,” says EFF leader Julius Malema. “The song ‘Kill the Boer’ is not a song created by me; it is a struggle song sung by our mothers and fathers during the difficult days of apartheid.” pic.twitter.com/c89lXbM3lL
— SABC News (@SABCNews) June 16, 2025
First published by African Insider
Compiled by Lisabeal Nqamqhele
Also see: Piers Morgan weighs in on Julius Malema ‘Kill the Boer’ chant