Julius Malema sends a warning to all AfriForum members in South Africa

If the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) were to ever come into government, they would lock up every single AfriForum member in South Africa.

This was said by EFF President Julius Malema when addressing supporters in East London following the postponement of his pre-sentencing proceedings to April 15th.

Malema was found guilty on the charges, brought by AfriForum, which stem from an incident during an EFF anniversary rally in 2018.

Malema and AfriForum have consistently clashed, with the EFF leader not mincing his words on 23 January.

“AfriForum is nothing. They must pray that the EFF must never be a government in South Africa because the day that the EFF becomes government… we are going to lock up all AfriForum members,” said Malema.

“They are terrorists, they are anti-South Africa, they undermine our country and its freedom and its constitution.”

In response, Jacques Broodryk, spokesperson for community safety at AfriForum, told Newsday that “it’s a pity that Mr. Malema always falls back on threats and attempted intimidation tactics whenever he is under pressure.”

“It would be good for Mr. Malema to remember that he is the convicted criminal, not AfriForum, so we are not concerned about getting locked up, he on the other hand, should be,” added Broodryk.

Malema was found guilty of unlawful possession of a firearm, discharging a firearm in a built-up area and reckless endangerment of people and property – charges that could see prison time.

Malema, whose party amassed just under 10% of the national vote in the 2024 elections, accused the organisation of weaponising the courts to settle political disputes.

While stating that he respects the law, he added that he does not respect rulings he considers “unjust” or inconsistent with the Constitution.

He ended his address by leading the crowd in chanting the controversial song “Kill the Boer, kill the farmer.”

AfriForum has repeatedly sought to have the song banned through the courts, but these efforts have been unsuccessful.

Afriforum’s long history with the EFF

The contention between AfriForum, a South African civil rights organisation advocating for Afrikaner and minority rights, and Malema, centres on allegations of hate speech, incitement to violence, and more.

AfriForum, founded in 2006 as an initiative of the trade union Solidarity, positions itself as a defender of Afrikaner culture, language, and safety amid rising farm murders and perceived marginalisation.

Malema, a left-wing populist, champions radical economic transformation, including land expropriation without compensation.

This ideological clash has fueled repeated legal battles, with AfriForum accusing Malema of promoting anti-white rhetoric that endangers farmers.

The flashpoint is Malema’s public singing of liberation-era songs like “Dubul’ ibhunu” (Shoot the Boer) and chants such as “Kill the Boer, Kill the Farmer.”

In 2011, the Equality Court ruled these constituted hate speech, interdicting Malema from using them, as they undermined Afrikaner dignity and incited harm. AfriForum hailed this as a victory against racial hatred.

The Human Rights Commission, on the other hand, made findings against Malema in a case brought forward by AfriForum.

Malema, among other things, said: “You must never be scared to kill. A revolution demands that, at some point, there must be killing, because the killing is part of the revolutionary act.” 

However, Malema and the EFF continued performing the songs at rallies, viewing them as symbolic resistance to colonialism and apartheid, not literal calls to violence.

In another Equality Court case, AfriForum’s complaint was dismissed. The court ruled that the songs did not amount to hate speech or unfair discrimination under the Promotion of Equality Act, emphasising their historical context.

AfriForum appealed, but the Constitutional Court later dismissed related bids, effectively legalising the chants in some interpretations.

Undeterred, AfriForum escalated internationally in 2025, releasing a “Malema Dossier” urging global sanctions against him for alleged human rights violations, corruption allegations, and support for groups like Hamas.