While the world watched a high-stakes bilateral meeting between Presidents Cyril Ramaphosa and Donald Trump at the White House, the spotlight unexpectedly turned to South African political firebrand Julius Malema.
A controversial clip featuring the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader singing “Kill The Boer” was played during the meeting, stirring political tensions and drawing global attention once again to Malema’s bold rhetoric.
Malema Fires Back at Trump and Musk Over Arrest Demands
Not one to shy away from controversy, Malema responded swiftly to criticism and calls for his arrest, which included remarks from both Donald Trump and South African-born billionaire Elon Musk.
Taking to his X (formerly Twitter) account, Malema stood defiant in the face of global backlash.
“You will never put a good man down,” he wrote.
“I will never be defined by my enemies but by my loyalty to the cries of our people.
You will never kill the idea whose time has come.”
He added pointedly: “Kill me now, cowards.”
US Delegation Plays Provocative Clip During Oval Office Meeting
During the White House meeting, tensions rose when a video of Malema performing the controversial struggle song was shown.
The clip also included scenes from Afrikaner memorial sites, which President Trump mistakenly referred to as “burial sites.”
Clearly alarmed, Trump turned to Ramaphosa and asked: “Why don’t you arrest that man? That man said, ‘kill the white farmer’ and danced.
I think if someone got up and started singing to kill a certain group of people, he would be arrested quickly.”
Malema Calls Out Local and Global Critics
Malema didn’t reserve his criticism for Trump and Musk alone.
He also directed sharp words at South African political figures and business elites, including Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen and billionaire Johann Rupert, who were also present at the meeting and expressed concern over his messaging.
Mocking the situation, Malema posted online: “A group of older men meet in Washington to gossip about me.
No significant amount of intelligence evidence has been produced about white genocide.”
He also emphasized that the EFF would not compromise its political stance on land expropriation without compensation, no matter the international pressure.
A Polarizing Figure Who Refuses to Back Down
Julius Malema’s confrontational style continues to divide opinion both in South Africa and abroad.
While his supporters see him as a fearless defender of economic justice and land reform, critics accuse him of fueling racial tensions and promoting dangerous rhetoric.
For now, Malema appears unfazed by the backlash, standing firm in his convictions and using the international attention to amplify his message.