EFF leader Julius Malema commemorates the Sharpeville Massacre where he sang the struggle song Dubul' ibhunu, angering US president Donald Trump, Elon Musk and US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio.
Image: Picture: Timothy Bernard / Independent Newspapers
Tensions between South Africa and the United States continues to spiral after US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio lashed the Julius Malema's EFF for chanting "Kill the Boer, Kill the Farmer" at the commemoration of the Sharpeville Massacre on Friday.
Rubio, taking to social media on Monday said that Afrikaners who are threatened with violence would be welcomed in the US.
This as the US has revoked legal status of more than 530,000 Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans and Venezuelans who face real persecution in their home countries and intends closing its borders to over a dozen mostly African and Arab countries.
Rubio's outcry comes after EFF leader, Julius Malema chanted the contentious "Kill the Boer" song on Human Right Day to mark the Sharpeville Massacre on Friday amid escalating hostilities between the US and South Africa, particularly over the country's land expropriation policies and attitude towards Israel.
Rubio made mention of the contentious Struggle song, "Kill the Boer," in a post on X on Monday. Critics claim that this song has been exploited as a call to action for anti-White violence, specifically directed at White farmers.
“South Africa’s leaders and politicians must take action to protect Afrikaner and other disfavoured minorities.
“The United States is proud to offer those individuals who qualify for admission to our nation amid this continued horrible threat of violence,” he said on X.
US President, Donald Trump also waded into Malema singing the struggle song Dubul' ibhunu when he took to his Truth Social media platform where he posted a screenshot of Elon Musk's tweet in which he said, "Very few people know that there is a major political party in South Africa that is actively promoting white genocide. The video [of Malema chanting 'Kill the Boer'] was just [recent]. A whole arena chanting about killing white people."
AfriForum CEO Kallie Kriel, whose organisation has been the driving force behind the souring relationship between the US and SA took to X to thank Trump for hearing their pleas.
"Thank you, President @realDonaldTrump for taking note of the irresponsible calls for violence against Afrikaners/whites—through hate chants such as “Kill the Boer, kill the farmer”—in South Africa," he Tweeted.
"The tragic irony is that the latest incident occurred on March 21, which is officially known as “Human Rights Day” in South Africa. What makes this even worse is that this renewed call for violence against Afrikaners was not condemned by @PresidencyZA Ramaphosa, ANC leaders, or the South African @GovernmentZA. Their silence regarding this gross human rights violation is deafening".
Trump suspended financial aid to South Africa and extended refugee status to Afrikaners, citing concerns over land expropriation and discrimination, tensions escalated.
This move followed President Cyril Ramaphosa’s signing of the Expropriation Act.
Trump has openly criticised South Africa’s expropriation law, arguing that it unfairly targets the white minority.
He further contended that the policy was strategically crafted to undermine business, education, and equal opportunity while fostering divisive rhetoric and escalating violence against historically marginalised landowners.
The Act allows the government to take land and other property for public purposes.
However, the government has defended itself against the “false narrative” that has emerged since the signing of the Act.
IOL reported on Monday that Ramaphosa urged to reject the politics of divisiveness that is emerging in many parts of the world.
“In particular, we should challenge the completely false narrative that our country is a place in which people of a certain race or culture are being targeted for persecution,” he said.
Ramaphosa’s remarks come a day after former SA ambassador to the US, Ebrahim Rasool, landed in Cape Town over the weekend after being expelled.
Rasool was declared persona non grata by the US government after making remarks during a webinar in which he associated President Donald Trump with white supremacy.
But he maintained that his remarks were not directed at Trump.
kamogelo.moichela@iol.co.za
IOL Politics