Malema Leads ‘Kill the Boer’ Chant at EFF Mass Funeral, Stirring Mixed Reactions
EFF leader Julius Malema ignited both emotion and controversy on Saturday when he led mourners in chanting the struggle song “Kill the Boer” during the mass funeral of seven EFF members who died in a tragic bus crash near Ulundi last week.
The funeral, held in Vryheid, KwaZulu-Natal, drew a large crowd, including party officials, family members, and supporters. What began as a somber ceremony turned into a charged political moment as Malema delivered a fiery eulogy before invoking the historically loaded chant — a move that drew loud applause from the crowd, but also sparked renewed debate across the country.
“This song is not about hate — it’s about remembering where we come from,” Malema declared, defending the use of the chant as part of South Africa’s liberation history. He positioned it as a tribute to the struggle and the sacrifices of the fallen party members, linking their deaths to a broader narrative of resistance and perseverance.
The seven victims were among ten EFF members who died when their bus veered off the road while returning from a party event. Their deaths have not only shaken the EFF, but also reignited questions around road safety and transportation policy in rural South Africa.
Malema’s decision to include the struggle song at the funeral is consistent with his long-standing defiance of critics who view “Kill the Boer” as inciteful. Courts have ruled in the past that the song must be understood in its historical context, not as a literal call to violence. Nonetheless, its use at a funeral for political comrades has again placed the EFF at the center of national debate.
For EFF supporters, the chant was a powerful homage, an affirmation of the struggle their fallen comrades believed in. But for others, it’s a reminder of the unresolved tensions in post-apartheid South Africa.
As the nation mourns the victims of the crash, Malema’s actions underscore the EFF’s commitment to radical rhetoric — and the polarizing path it continues to tread in South African politics.
