Elon Musk has called on people to unsubscribe from the New York Times after the publication downplayed an anti-white chant at a political rally in South Africa.
The chant, which called for the killing of white farmers, was led by the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), the country's third-largest political party. Musk, who is South African himself, criticized the New York Times for supporting calls for genocide and urged readers to cancel their subscriptions.
During a rally at Johannesburg's FNB Stadium, EFF leader Julius Malema recited the notorious anti-white chant, "kill the Boer." The Boers are white South Africans descended from Dutch colonists who settled in the region in the 17th and 18th centuries. Tens of thousands of supporters joined Malema on stage, with many more in the arena singing chants in Zulu and English, including "Shoot to kill! Kill the Boer, the farmer!"
The New York Times acknowledged that the viral video of the chant had been seized upon by some Americans on the far right as a call to violence. They quoted Musk, who accused the publication of openly advocating for the genocide of white people in South Africa. Malema's embrace of the chant, the Times noted, was particularly disturbing to some white South Africans, given his party's advocacy for taking white-owned land and redistributing it to black South Africans.
However, the New York Times argued that the chant should not be taken as a literal call to violence, according to Malema and veterans and historians of the anti-apartheid struggle. They explained that the chant has been around for decades and was one of many battle cries of the anti-apartheid movement. The outlet pointed out that the African National Congress (ANC) distanced itself from the song in 2012, the same year Malema was expelled for incendiary statements.
According to University of Johannesburg professor Bongani Ngqulunga, the phrase "kill the Boer" is not meant to promote violence but rather to mobilize against an oppressive system. Nelson Mandela University historian Nomalanga Mkhize added that young people today sing the chant as a way to rouse themselves up and do not intend it to cause harm.
However, just one day after the chants filled the stadium, a white farmer was brutally murdered on his property. Theo and Marlinda Bekker, white farmers in Mpumalanga province, were attacked on their property. Theo was tied up and had his throat slit, while Marlinda was locked in the bathroom. The suspects stole firearms from the safe and fled in the couple's vehicle. Four suspects were later arrested after being involved in an accident.
Theo de Jager, Chairperson of the Southern African Agri Initiative, highlighted the alarming rate of farm attacks and murders in South Africa. He stated that over the past 20 years, there has been an average of one farm attack every two days and a farm murder every five days. On average, there are 72 farm murders and 185 attacks each year. De Jager also noted that in 2022, six black farmers were murdered.
The incident involving the anti-white chant at the political rally and the subsequent murder of a white farmer has sparked renewed concerns about racial tensions and violence in South Africa.
Critics argue that the chant, regardless of its historical context, contributes to a hostile environment and perpetuates divisions in the country. The debate surrounding the chant and its implications for race relations in South Africa continues to be a contentious issue.
Login