Several people, including some outside the country, were up in arms last month after Malema chanted the song at his party’s 10th anniversary celebration.
Mbeki maintains the song is not to be interpreted in its literal meaning, as he explained to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in 1996.
Last year Malema won a case against AfriForum, which took the EFF to the equality court, asking that the party be fined R500,000 and the song be declared hate speech. Malema and his party came out victorious.
“It does not constitute hate speech and deserves to be protected under the rubric of freedom of speech — it articulates the failure of the government to address issues of economic empowerment and land division,” said judge Edwin Molahlehi when he delivered judgment in the Johannesburg high court in August last year.
TimesLIVE
LISTEN | Former president Thabo Mbeki opposed to Malema chanting ‘Kill the Boer’ in 2023
Image: Alaister Russell/The Sunday Times
Former president Thabo Mbeki says he does not understand why EFF leader Julius Malema recently chanted Kill the Boer. He says the song is part of history but irrelevant.
Listen to Mbeki's views:
Several people, including some outside the country, were up in arms last month after Malema chanted the song at his party’s 10th anniversary celebration.
Mbeki maintains the song is not to be interpreted in its literal meaning, as he explained to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in 1996.
Last year Malema won a case against AfriForum, which took the EFF to the equality court, asking that the party be fined R500,000 and the song be declared hate speech. Malema and his party came out victorious.
“It does not constitute hate speech and deserves to be protected under the rubric of freedom of speech — it articulates the failure of the government to address issues of economic empowerment and land division,” said judge Edwin Molahlehi when he delivered judgment in the Johannesburg high court in August last year.
TimesLIVE
READ MORE:
‘I will sing 'Kill the Boer' as and when I please’: Malema responds to struggle song outrage
PATRICK BULGER | Soul Fire: how Malema is feedin’ the cravin’ right now
JONATHAN JANSEN | There are reasons to worry about ‘Kill the Boer’, but genocide is not one of them
SCA to hear AfriForum’s ‘Kill the Boer’ appeal next month after Malema sings it again
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