Julius Malema must go to jail for singing ‘Kill the Boer, Kill the Farmer’

Patriotic Alliance (PA) leader and Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture, Gayton McKenzie, said that he believes that people who sing Kill the Boer, Kill the Farmer’ should be jailed.

He shared this view during an interview with Biznews, where he discussed South Africa’s crime problem and possible solutions.

“I don’t believe in the Constitution. I believe that for the problems we are having as a country, the Constitution is an impediment,” he said.

“Criminals have found loopholes in the Constitution. We should suspend the Constitution to fix our problems.”

He said that he supported the death penalty for murderers. “Those killers should be hanged. Under my government, they will be hanged,” he said.

He shared an equally non-compromising view on people who sing songs associated with violence against others.

“This thing of ‘Kill the Boer, Kill the Farmer’. Anybody who says that should just be locked up immediately and taken out,” he said.

This would target EFF leader Julius Malema, who has made this controversial chant part of his local government election campaign.

McKenzie also pointed to criminals hijacking buildings in Johannesburg. “They’ve taken people’s buildings. It’s been six years, and people are still in court,” he said.

“Under my government, if they take that building at three o’clock, they will be either outdoors or in a mortuary half an hour later.”

“I am being unapologetic because I come from the world of crime. I know how ruthless that world is.”

Kill the Boer, Kill the Farmer

McKenzie’s views align with the requests from the United States, which asked the South African government to condemn the ‘Kill the Boer, Kill the Farmer’ chant.

United States Ambassador to South Africa, Leo Brent Bozell III, provided details about their view in a recent article.

He said that the vast majority of South Africans believe this chant is an incitement to violence and deplore it.

“South African farmers live in fear, carrying sidearms by day and sleeping with loaded weapons by their side,” he said.

He said this raises the question of what it says about the South African government when the President won’t condemn the chant.

AfriForum CEO Kallie Kriel said that in the present-day context, chanting “Kill the Boer” is one of the most serious burning issues in the relationship with the United States.

He said that Ramaphosa and senior government leaders must denounce the chanting of “Kill the Boer”, along with other hate-related slogans directed at minorities.

Many South African political parties have also condemned ‘Kill the Boer, Kill the Farmer’, saying it was hate speech, divisive, and an incitement to violence.

“The DA unreservedly condemns the chanting of ‘Kill the Boer, Kill the Farmer’ by Julius Malema,” the party said in a statement in 2023.

“We view this as completely unacceptable and firmly believe that incitement to violence has no place in our society.”

“Malema’s continued chant of this racially inflammatory phrase sets a dangerous precedent that undermines our country’s path towards reconciliation.”

The Freedom Front Plus is equally opposed to the chant and has previously lodged complaints against Malema for singing it.

“It is totally unacceptable that a song that clearly incites people to murder farmers is seen as no more than a symbolic struggle song,” it said.