AfriForum and SAAI urge global sanctions against Julius Malema over “Kill the Boer” chant
By Mathipa Phishego
Civil rights groups AfriForum and the Southern African Agri Initiative (SAAI) have renewed their campaign against Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema. Calling on the international community to impose sanctions over his continued use of the controversial “Kill the Boer” chant.
In a joint media briefing held in Pretoria on September 3, the two organizations condemned what they describe as ongoing hate speech and incitement to violence against white farmers in South Africa. They unveiled a newly compiled report titled the “Malema Dossier,” which they claim it documents numerous instances of racially charged rhetoric by the EFF leader.
The Malema Dossier, according to AfriForum and SAAI, will be distributed to foreign governments, human rights organizations, and international policy influencers. It includes an array of documented incidents, speeches, and public statements by Malema which, the groups argue, promote racial division and pose a threat to minority communities, particularly white farmers.
“We are appealing to democratic governments across the world to take a stand against hate speech in South Africa. The time has come for targeted international sanctions against Julius Malema and key members of the EFF leadership,” said AfriForum’s head of policy, Ernst Roets.
The controversial “Kill the Boer, kill the farmer” chant has long been a point of national contention. While the Constitutional Court of South Africa previously ruled that the chant does not constitute hate speech within its historical and political context, AfriForum and SAAI strongly reject this interpretation.
“The legal system may protect the chant under the banner of struggle songs, but morally and ethically, it promotes racial hatred. Even President Cyril Ramaphosa has distanced himself from it, stating clearly that it does not align with the values of a democratic South Africa,” said Dr. Theo de Jager, executive director of SAAI.
Despite mounting criticism, Julius Malema has continued to perform the chant at EFF rallies, conferences, and political events often drawing strong reactions from both supporters and detractors.
This move by AfriForum and SAAI comes amid rising political tensions in South Africa ahead of the upcoming national elections. The call for international intervention underscores a growing concern among civil rights groups over what they perceive as unchecked political extremism.
The EFF, a far-left political party founded by Malema in 2013, has built its brand on radical economic transformation and anti-establishment rhetoric. However, FriForum and SAAI argue that the party’s inflammatory language and militant stance contribute to social instability and racial division.
