Julius Malema, the leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) party, engaged in a fiery verbal dispute with Elon Musk, the world’s wealthiest individual, on Wednesday. Musk, originally from South Africa, had previously accused Malema’s party of promoting “genocide” within the nation.
The clash between Elon Musk and Julius Malema, who heads the radical left-wing EFF party, stems from a contentious issue surrounding a song associated with the anti-apartheid struggle. This song was recently performed at an EFF gathering over the weekend.
Mr. Malema faced criticism from the opposition Democratic Alliance (DA) party for potentially inciting ethnic violence by chanting “Kill the Boer the Farmer” during the Soweto rally. The Boers are the descendants of the earliest European settlers in South Africa. During a press briefing in Johannesburg, Malema responded to Musk’s accusations, stating, “Why should I educate Elon Musk? He appears to lack literacy. His privilege lies solely in his white complexion.”
The phrase “Kill the Boer” has consistently triggered controversy in South Africa due to its violent lyrics, which some view as inflammatory. Elon Musk took to his social media platform, Twitter X, which he owns, to express his concerns. He wrote on Monday, “They openly advocate for the genocide of white individuals in South Africa.” This tweet quickly gained widespread attention.
Musk, who was born in Pretoria, directed his questions to South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, who leads the African National Congress (ANC). Musk likened Ramaphosa to a dismantler of apartheid and inquired about his perceived silence on the matter.
Julius Malema has previously faced legal repercussions for his use of the controversial chant. Although a court ruled last year that the chant did not constitute hate speech, an appeal against this decision is currently pending.
In response to the ongoing clash, Malema stated on Wednesday, “There’s a complete recording of the court proceedings, should Elon Musk decide to watch it on YouTube. This matter is closed, and we have no intention of wasting time on trivial matters.” The DA, on the other hand, revealed that they are contemplating filing a formal complaint against Mr. Malema.
This disagreement emerges less than a year before critical elections, during which the ANC’s parliamentary majority and the presidency of the nation are at stake for the first time in the party’s history.