Kill the Boer’ Controversy Reaches Washington: Malema’s Chant Central to Trump-Ramaphosa Clash
Staff Reporter
In a high-stakes diplomatic meeting today, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa sat down with former U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House amid rising international scrutiny and controversy over farm-related violence and land reform in South Africa.
The meeting comes after Trump reignited the debate on what he has previously called “a large-scale killing of white farmers” in South Africa — a claim South African officials have strongly rejected as inaccurate and inflammatory.
During the closed-door session, Trump reportedly insisted on playing a compilation of what he described as “disturbing footage” to support his stance. According to sources, most of the video clips showed members of South Africa’s Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), including their leader Julius Malema, singing struggle songs like “Kill the Boer, Shoot the Farmer” — chants the EFF argues are part of the country's liberation heritage, but which critics claim incite violence.
Trump also presented media articles and alleged evidence of recent farm murders, insisting that they indicate a “genocidal pattern” in the country. “We’ve received a lot of complaints about South Africa. What’s happening there is very disturbing,” Trump reportedly said.
President Ramaphosa firmly rejected the genocide narrative. “There is no white genocide in South Africa,” he reiterated. “Yes, our country faces challenges with crime, but these are not racially motivated attacks sanctioned by the state. Our laws are clear and our constitution protects all citizens equally.”
Ramaphosa emphasized the importance of land reform, but assured the U.S. leader that it would be carried out lawfully and without violence or expropriation without compensation — a topic that has drawn fierce international debate.
The meeting has sparked strong reactions globally, with critics accusing Trump of fueling racial tensions, while his supporters argue he is raising legitimate human rights concerns.
This is a developing story. Updates to follow.
