WATCH | LOL! Malema cracks court up with his explanation of what ‘kiss the Boer’ means

17 February 2022 - 09:19
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EFF leader Julius Malema testifies at the Equality Court in Johannesburg.
EFF leader Julius Malema testifies at the Equality Court in Johannesburg.
Image: Alaister Russell/Sunday Times

EFF leader Julius Malema left some at the Equality Court in Johannesburg in stitches this week when he demonstrated what “kiss the Boer” meant. 

Malema appeared at the court on Wednesday after lobby group AfriForum brought a civil case against him, his party and EFF MP Mbuyiseni Ndlozi for allegedly singing at various times the anti-apartheid song Dubul’ibhunu which translates to “shoot the Boer” or “kill the Boer”.

The lobby group first lodged a complaint against Malema, Ndlozi and the EFF in October 2020 after party supporters sang the Dubul’ibhunu song outside the magistrate’s court in Senekal, Free State, during the bail hearing of those accused of murdering farm manager Brendin Horner. 

AfriForum’s head of policy and action, Ernst Roets, wants Malema and Ndlozi to apologise publicly and pay a fine to an organisation that strives to combat hate speech. 

Taking the stand as a witness, Malema denied saying “shoot the Boer” during the chant. He said the chant was “shoot to kill, kiss the Boer, kiss the farmer”. 

Malema explained that “shoot to kill” meant shoot to kill enemy forces who are standing in between people and freedom. 

“Kiss the Boer, kiss the farmer. I thought it’s English,” said Malama when asked to explain what he said during the chant. 

“Kiss how?” probed advocate for AfriForum Mark Oppenheimer during the cross-examination. 

“Mwah,” uttered Malema, demonstrating a kiss, which was met with laughter in the courtroom. 

Watch the video below

According to Malema, the “Mwah” can be on the lips or forehead. 

“That is not a song, it’s a chant. [former president Thabo] Mbeki explains that very well if you listen to the video. Chants change from time to time and different chants get to be sung on different occasions trying to describe the political situation at that particular point,” said Malema.

He said what is said during a chant is not literal and cannot be interpreted all the time. 

“With a chant, you get to say all types of things and it doesn’t remain the same.”

Malema said he will not condemn his party supporters for singing struggle songs. 

“Do not take away the right of our people to show white supremacists that they no longer have a place here in SA. So for me to condemn them, will be to promote the white supremacists. I am not going to do that,” said Malema. 

LISTEN | Leave race out of it, no-one's plotting to kill white farmers in SA, Malema reiterates


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