Washington, United States:
Billionaire Elon Musk has criticised South African political leader Julius Malema after a two-year-old video in which he’s chanting “Kill the Boer, Kill the Farmer” at a rally attended by thousands of supporters resurfaced on social media. The Tesla CEO, who was born in South Africa’s capital Pretoria, shared the clip on X, saying, “He is chanting ‘kill the white farmers’ to a cheering stadium.”
He is chanting kill the white farmers to a cheering stadium https://t.co/SYKFc1ntOU
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 9, 2025
The chant, historically linked to Peter Mokaba, a former African National Congress (ANC) youth leader, is rooted in the anti-apartheid struggle of the 1990s. Mr Mokaba, who died in 2002, argued that it was a metaphor rather than a literal call to violence. In 2022, South Africa’s Equality Court ruled that the slogan did not constitute hate speech under the country’s legal framework.
Julius Malema, leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), has a history of making radical statements. His party, founded after his expulsion from the ANC, is now South Africa’s third-largest and advocates for land nationalisation and wealth redistribution. These policies have gained support among many township residents who feel economically excluded even after apartheid ended. The EFF secured 11 per cent of the vote in the last national elections.
Mr Malema made the controversial chant during the EFF’s 10th anniversary rally in July 2023, where he told supporters, “We are taking government in 2024. The revolution in South Africa is guaranteed.”
Musk condemned the chant then as well, warning that “They are openly pushing for the genocide of White people in South Africa.” He also questioned why South African President Cyril Ramaphosa had not addressed the controversy.
They are openly pushing for genocide of white people in South Africa. @CyrilRamaphosa, why do you say nothing?
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 31, 2023
In response, Mr Malema defended the chant at a press conference, arguing it was part of South Africa’s political history and not an incitement to violence. He also launched an attack on Musk, saying the billionaire “looks like an illiterate” and that “the only thing that protects him is his white skin.”
This comes amid fresh tensions between South Africa and the US after President Donald Trump announced that America would cut all future aid to the African nation over its land expropriation policies. This led to South African rand dropping nearly 2 per cent against the dollar.
Trump’s comments followed President Ramaphosa’s signing of a new law that makes it easier for the state to expropriate land with equitable compensation. The ANC has long pushed for land reforms to address racial disparities in ownership.
This was not the first time Trump threatened economic action against South Africa. In December, he warned of 100 per cent tariffs on BRICS nations if they moved away from using the US dollar.