Key Points
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Thabo Mbeki defends Kill the Boer chant as symbolic, not literal.
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Julius Malema says the chant is part of liberation heritage.
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Trump’s criticism adds pressure to South Africa’s global image.
Former President Thabo Mbeki has strongly defended the controversial chant “Kill the Boer.” He said the chant was never a literal call for violence. Instead, it represents a symbolic slogan from South Africa’s anti-apartheid era.
During an interview with SABC News, Mbeki emphasized that chants like these were common during the liberation struggle. Importantly, they were never intended to be taken literally.
“It’s unchanged,” Mbeki stated. “That thing is a chant. It was used during the struggle days.”
He further explained that, in African traditions, people do not interpret chants word-for-word. They use them to express frustration or unity.
To clarify, Mbeki recalled a chant he sang before the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. It said: “I won’t go to Zululand because my mother died there.” He pointed out that no one should take it literally.
“You sing it. You say it. But you don’t mean it literally,” he said. “It’s meant to motivate people, not incite violence.”
Mbeki also argued that the African National Congress never ordered its fighters to target civilians. “No MK soldier was told to kill a farmer just because they were Boer,” he said. “During conflict, they faced other soldiers — not civilians.”
Moreover, Mbeki believes some critics exaggerate the chant for political reasons. “They twist its meaning to stir public fear,” he said.
Trump criticizes Malema, sparks global reaction
The chant continues to provoke international controversy. Recently, former U.S. President Donald Trump called for Julius Malema’s arrest. He made the remarks during a meeting with President Cyril Ramaphosa at the White House.
Trump cited the chant as proof of alleged violence against white Afrikaner farmers. He referred to a video of Malema speaking about land reform in Parliament. This, he argued, showed racial hostility.
Furthermore, Democratic Alliance leader John Steenhuisen supported Trump’s stance. He told U.S. officials that the DA joined South Africa’s Government of National Unity to prevent parties like the EFF and uMkhonto weSizwe from gaining power.
Trump’s comments further damaged U.S.-South Africa relations. He described South Africa’s land reform as “land seizure.” The South African government rejected this claim, calling it false and inflammatory.
Malema and court stand by chant’s constitutional protection
Julius Malema also weighed in on the matter. While addressing supporters in the Free State, he defended the chant. He said it reflects South Africa’s liberation heritage and is protected by the Constitution.
“There is no white genocide in South Africa,” Malema said. “Most people killed in this country are Black.”
He also rejected Trump’s claim of mass graves of white South Africans. Malema accused Trump of using a photo from the Democratic Republic of Congo and claiming it was from South Africa.
“That picture doesn’t belong to us,” Malema said. “There are no graves like that here.”
In March, the Constitutional Court ruled against lobby group AfriForum. The group had asked the court to ban the chant. The court dismissed the case, saying it had no reasonable chance of success.
Malema criticized President Ramaphosa for not defending the court’s decision. He reminded South Africans that their democracy is based on constitutional rule.
“This song was approved by the Constitutional Court,” he said. “We must defend the decisions of our courts.”
He ended his speech by singing the “Kill the Boer” chant once more — reinforcing his stance that it’s a cultural chant, not a violent threat.
