'Bad things happening in the US'- South Africans react to Charlie Kirk assassination
South Africans react to the assassination of Charlie Kirk, Trump ally, at Utah Valley University.
Image: AFP
South Africans have reacted to 31-year-old Charlie Kirk's assassination at Utah Valley University on Wednesday.
Kirk who was a right-wing activist and close ally of former US President Donald Trump, was shot dead during an event in Utah in the US.
The 31-year-old co-founded the country's largest conservative youth movement in 2012 at just 18 and had been speaking shortly after midday at Utah Valley University.Kirk, a staunch right-wing activist, centred his politics on defending what he termed traditional American values.
Despite praise from Donald Trump, Kirk had earned the ire of those with opposing political views. Activist Pieter Kriel described his views as vile and dehumanising.
"I've always despised his politics, his character and everything he stood for. I never respected his ideas, but I can acknowledge that he was a human, father and husband," said Kriel. "He said what he believed. However, he was not a good person."
Kriel brought up Kirk's past utterances in which he defended the use of guns in the US despite dozens of mass shootings each year.
"He once said 'Few people have to die every year to protect the Second Amendment (protects the right of the people to keep and bear arms)'. That is vile. What he said about the Middle East, women, the LGBTQ+ community is disgusting and dehumanising."
Kriel added that the controversial figure, however, did not deserve to be assassinated.
National Convener the EFF Youth Command (EFFYC) Sihle Lonzi simply commented: "Bad things are happening in the United States of America."
Award-winning Redi Tlhabi said she only had empathy for Kirk's family. "He believed gun-related deaths were acceptable and a small price to pay for gun ownerships. His position was that some would be shot and killed, and it's a small price to pay. I imagine he is proud now," Tlhabi said.
Activist Mukhethwa Dzhugudzha added his two cents to the conversation, asking why people find compassion when 'evil' men die.
"It's making me realise that if we had social media during apartheid, you guys would have felt sorry for Hendrik Verwoerd when he got popped," Dzhugudzha said. "Charlie Kirk and Verwoerd are the same brand of poison. They held the same views and beliefs. Both built their careers on white supremacy and Christian nationalism."
He went to claim that Kirk spent his whole life propagating hatred and intolerance. "He supported groups that openly harm marginalised communities. He was not a neutral commentator. He was an ideologue, just like Verwoerd."
AfriForum's head of public relations Ernst Van Zyl told IOL that Kirk was a 'great man and engine of change'.
"This tragic murder has again highlighted the serious and deadly problem of left-wing violence and dehumanisation of those who oppose and expose their ideas, both in the US and South Africa. Violent threats and chants from left-wing extremists are clearly not 'just metaphors.' We cannot tolerate those who champion and celebrate killing people for daring to disagree with them," Van Zyl said.
He added that Kirk was a committed, centrist conservative who cared deeply about engaging in open and sincere debate, even with those he strongly opposed.
"Tragically, he was viewed as deserving of the death penalty for this by many of those who could not beat him in debate or silence him with facts."
The EFF expressed concern over escalating gun violence in the country, warning that the situation poses risks ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which the country is set to co-host.
"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," said the party.
According to the EFF, the scale of firearm-related deaths in the US highlights a systemic crisis. "In 2023, the U.S. recorded 46,728 firearm-related deaths. In schools, the violence is relentless as in 2024 alone, the U.S. endured 83 school shootings leaving 38 people dead and 115 injured." the party stated.
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