Pull the boer: a song that ignited emotionsPosted at 7:47 pm British Summer Time
Farouk Chothia
BBC analyst in South Africa
Image source, Getty imagesJulius Malema leads the fourth largest part of South Africa
The brand song of the radical politician of the opposition of South Africa Julius Malema is “Shoot the Boer (Afrikaner), Shoot The Farmer”, which he sings during political rallies.
Such a clip was included in the video shown by Trump to South Africans and Americans gathered in the Oval Office this afternoon.
Afrikaner lobbies groups tried to ban the song, saying that it was very inflammatory and equivalent to hate speeches.
They were supported by the technological billionaire Elon Musk, who accuses Malema’s party, The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), of “actively promote” a genocide.
However, the Supreme Court of Appeal of South Africa ruled that Malema was in his right to sing the words, first popularized during the anti-apartheid fight, during political rallies.
The Court ruled that “reasonably informed person” would understand that when “protest songs are sung, even by politicians, words are not supposed to be understood literally, and the shooting gesture is not understood as an appeal to arms or violence”.
Instead, the song was a “provocative way” to advance the political agenda of the EFF – which was to end “land and economic injustice”.
The highest court in South Africa refused to hear an appeal against the decision, saying that it was unlikely to succeed.
The party of President Ramaphosa says that he no longer sings the song as the anti-apartheid struggle is over, but it cannot “prescribe” to other parties.
