US President Donald Trump used a video of Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema to support claims that white South Africans—especially Afrikaner farmers—are being targeted.
Were Malema’s words used out of context by Trump?
The footage was shown during a tense Oval Office meeting with President Cyril Ramaphosa and a South African delegation, where Trump repeated his claim of an “Afrikaner genocide.”
The clip features Malema chanting “Kill the Boer, Kill the Farmer” and discussing land reform.
According to Trump, this was evidence of racially motivated violence against the white minority in South Africa. The chant and Malema’s land comments were used to suggest that the Expropriation Bill, signed by Ramaphosa in January, encourages violence and land seizures.
In response, the EFF accused Trump of manipulating the footage for political reasons.
The party said in a statement that the chant is part of South Africa’s liberation history and that the courts have ruled it does not amount to hate speech.
“We will defend our constitutional democracy and never bow and succumb to imperialism,” the EFF said, accusing Ramaphosa and his delegation of “groveling” to the US.
The footage Trump used reportedly comes from a 2018 parliamentary sitting and a public rally in George.
In Parliament, Malema told his supporters:
“We don’t require permission from you, from Parliament, from the president. We don’t care. Our people must continue to occupy land.” In the same year, at a public rally, he reiterated:
“The land belongs to you, you must continue to occupy, it’s your land.”
Here is the contextual reference of the Malema ‘Kill the Boer’ chant
Trump’s claims have heightened diplomatic tensions between the two countries, especially after the White House shared the Malema video on its social media platforms after the meeting.
Trump went as far as calling for Malema’s arrest, citing incitement concerns.
President Ramaphosa attempted to de-escalate the situation during the meeting. He said that the chant was not a government position and noted that it had been reviewed by South Africa’s highest courts.
“That is not a government position,” Ramaphosa said. He also emphasiesd the country’s commitment to lawful land reform and racial reconciliation.
Johann Rupert, a prominent businessman and part of the South African delegation, challenged Trump’s narrative of a targeted genocide.
“We have too many deaths… It’s not only white farmers, it’s across the board,” Rupert said, calling for US technological support to combat crime. He added:
“We need Starlink at every little police station. We need drones.”
Rupert also took aim at Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen, saying,
“The crime is bad, but Mr Steenhuisen won’t admit to it, but he runs the Western Cape, where I live. And the biggest murder rate is in the Cape Flats. We’ve got gang warfare.”
Steenhuisen acknowledged that crime is a serious concern but pushed back against Trump’s portrayal.
“The majority of South Africa’s commercial and smallholder farmers really do want to stay and make it work,” he said.
He pointed out that the video showed opposition leaders, not members of the government.
Despite the intensity of the meeting, Ramaphosa remained composed. He invoked the legacy of Nelson Mandela and asked the US to remain involved in global partnerships like the G20.
“South Africa is overjoyed to hand over the G20 chair to the US,” reaffirming the need for continued cooperation,” Ramaphosa said.
The EFF warned it would resist any external attempts to undermine South Africa’s laws or delay land reform efforts.