JUSTICE MALALA | Fixing the damage caused by ‘white genocide’ lies won’t be easy

Please note there is an apology at the end of the article.

There is a proverb in the Setswana language that I wish I could translate properly, but I don’t think I can. It goes: “Lefoko ga le boe, go boa monwana.”

Literally, it means: “You cannot take back or retract words you have uttered against someone. A pointed finger, or a gesture, can however be retracted.”

The important part of this expression is that words matter. Words uttered and words amplified matter. Once released into the world, words are incredibly difficult to recall or erase. People are made by words we utter, and people are broken by words we release into the world. Words uttered thoughtlessly can break people, businesses, governments. Words chosen carefully can save reputations, avert wars, build empires.

Over the past week I have attended several events in New York. These events have cut across class, race, age and gender. All of them have brought home to me just how much damage has been done to South Africa by the thoughtless, racist, white supremacist and utterly false allegations that there is a “white genocide” in South Africa when there is patently none taking place here.

For the next decade I expect South Africans to be confronted by these lies whenever they travel across the world

These lies, whipped up and fanned in South Africa and internationally by utterly shameless, cynical and unethical organisations such as AfriForum and Solidarity, have been transmitted to dimwits like the American broadcaster Tucker Carlson, who has, like a faithful dog, then placed them at the feet of US President Donald Trump.

Two weeks ago, armed with these lies, the most powerful man in the world ambushed South African President Cyril Ramaphosa with pictures from the Democratic Republic of the Congo and a misleading video and claimed that this was evidence of these “deaths” in South Africa. The South African Police Service last week released figures showing that in the first quarter of this year five of six farmers that were killed in South Africa were black. That’s not a white genocide. It’s murder of ordinary South Africans, all suffering under the scourge of crime.

The point is that these lies of a non-existent “white genocide” were uttered in the White House and reported across the globe. From Moscow to Beijing, from Havana to São Paulo, from Maputo to Cairo, the world was watching. And the world heard the most powerful man in the world lie to the world that there is a “white genocide” in South Africa even though there is none.

Words matter. Words carry. Words stick. Certainly, these false allegations of a genocide of white South Africans have stuck. Anecdotally, I see this everywhere. In the past week an immigration officer in New York asked a (white) friend of mine coming to South Africa: “Is it true whites are being killed in South Africa?”

At a school in New York an Albanian asked me: “Is it true white farmers are being slaughtered in South Africa?”

At a Japanese restaurant I was asked: “What are you guys doing in South Africa? Did you hear what President Trump said?”

Many others joked about the scandalous encounter and utterances in the White House during the ambush of Ramaphosa.

For the next decade I expect South Africans to be confronted by these lies whenever they travel across the world. I wonder how the so-called leaders of outfits like Solidarity and AfriForum sleep at night knowing they have lied to the world so much. On the other hand, why am I so naive as to expect that these hollow men still have a conscience?

Here is another proverb: “Lies have short legs.”

It means that lies don’t last long in life and that without corroboration and support, a lie cannot be sustained. When a lie is uttered from the White House not once, not twice, but almost weekly for four months, it reverberates across the world for a significant period of time.

South Africa’s brand has been badly damaged by these lies. I used to arrive at an immigration point on my travels across the world and people would smile at me and say “Nelson Mandela”. Now, thanks to AfriForum and Solidarity and their lies, black South Africans are being asked if they are genocidaires. There can be nothing sicker than this — black South Africans, and black women in particular, are the most affected by all these crimes.

South Africa now needs a robust strategy across the world to push back against these lies. This effort to counter the besmirching of the country’s name needs to cut across from businesses to diplomats to ordinary citizens of the world. We have half a million Americans visiting South Africa every year — let’s ensure they go back to their country as ambassadors for South Africa. Let’s ensure they go home with a single message: it’s a lie — South Africa is beautiful and there is no genocide there.

We must be very clear though. This assault on South Africa has been deeply damaging and will continue to be so. This assault will continue, led by the relentless hate fanned by AfriForum and Solidarity.

Huge damage has been done. Fixing it won’t be easy because words are hard to erase.

For opinion and analysis consideration, e-mail Opinions@timeslive.co.za

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Apology:

In our opinions section of 2 June 2025, we published a column titled “Fixing the damage caused by ‘white genocide’ lies won’t be easy”, written by Justice Malala. The column included the following sentence, in reference to claims of a white genocide in South Africa: “These lies, whipped up and fanned in South Africa and internationally by utterly shameless, cynical and unethical organisations such as AfriForum and Solidarity…”. AfriForum have complained about the statement to the Press Council, on the basis that it is factually incorrect. In line with previous Press Council rulings on the matter, we concede that the statement was in breach of section 1.1 of the Press Code. We regret and apologise for the statement.

− Editor