'Why don't you arrest that man?' Trump asks Ramaphosa over Malema's 'kill the Boer' chant
Image: Kevin Lamarque
“Why don't you arrest that man?” This was US President Donald Trump's question to President Cyril Ramaphosa after playing a clip of EFF leader Julius Malema and supporters chanting “Kill the Boer” and speaking about occupying land.
The two leaders met at the White House in Washington DC on Wednesday in an effort to reset the strategic relationship between South Africa and the US amid escalating tensions. One of the key issues addressed was Trump's accusations of land confiscation and alleged violence against white farmers in South Africa.
Briefing the media before the meeting, Trump played a clip of Malema singing the song and demanded to know why he hadn't been arrested.
“That man said, 'kill the white farmer' and danced,” Trump said. “I think if someone got up and started singing kill a certain group of people he would be arrested quickly.”
He said Malema's actions could incite violence against a particular group of people, highlighting Malema's large following.
“That man is going all over South Africa, that's not a small party, that was a stadium. That's a lot of people — that's a lot of representation.”
Ramaphosa didn't directly answer Trump's question about Malema's arrest but instead clarified that farm murders in South Africa aren't exclusive to white farmers.
“There is criminality in our country. People who get killed through criminal activity are not only white people, but most of them are black people,” Ramaphosa said. He then asked minister of agriculture John Steenhuisen to provide further context.
Steenhuisen distanced the government from Malema's comments, emphasising Malema's party is a minority opposition party.
“The two individuals in that video are leaders of opposition minority parties in South Africa [EFF and MK Party]. The reason my party, the DA, joined hands with Ramaphosa's party was to keep those people out of power,” Steenhuisen said.
“We cannot have those people sitting at the Union Buildings making decisions. That's why our government, working together, needs the support of our allies around the world so we can strengthen our country, grow our economy and shut the door forever on that rebel getting through the doors of the Union Buildings.”