Julius Malema
By Thabo Mosia
Koppies, Free State, South Africa, May 25, 2025 – Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) President Julius Malema delivered a powerful address in Ward 16, Kwakwatsi, Koppies, Free State, ahead of the Ngwathe Local Municipality by-elections scheduled for May 28, 2025. In his speech, Malema criticized U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent remarks about the EFF and South Africa, declaring, “I Will Never Be Intimidated by America.” The EFF leader also lambasted President Cyril Ramaphosa’s handling of diplomatic relations during a recent White House meeting, accusing him of failing to defend South Africa’s Constitution and sovereignty.
Malema’s Defiant Stand Against Trump
Addressing a vibrant crowd in Koppies, Malema responded to Trump’s comments made during a bilateral meeting with Ramaphosa on May 21, 2025, at the White House. Trump had played video clips of Malema chanting the controversial struggle song “Kill the Boer, Kill the Farmer,” using them to support unfounded claims of a “white genocide” in South Africa. Trump remarked, “That man [Julius S Malema] is going all over South Africa. That’s not a small party. That was a stadium that holds a hundred thousand people, and I hardly saw an empty seat.”
Malema seized on Trump’s acknowledgment of the EFF’s influence, saying, “It only took Donald Trump to remind all of you that this is NOT a small organization.” He highlighted the EFF’s ability to fill the FNB Stadium, emphasizing the party’s growing relevance. However, he condemned Trump’s call for his arrest, interpreting it as a veiled threat. “When he says to Ramaphosa, ‘Why is this man not in jail?’ he simply means, ‘Why are you not killing this man?’” Malema said, drawing parallels to U.S. interventions in Libya that led to Muammar Gaddafi’s death.
Malema’s defiance was palpable as he declared, “I WILL NEVER BE INTIMIDATED BY AMERICA. I WILL NEVER BE INTIMIDATED BY DONALD TRUMP.” He accused Ramaphosa of failing to counter Trump’s narrative, calling him a “COWARD PRESIDENT” who “threw the Constitutional Court under the bus” by not defending the court’s ruling that “Kill the Boer” is a protected expression of heritage, not a literal call to violence. The song, Malema emphasized, symbolizes resistance against white minority control, not racial violence.
Critique of Ramaphosa’s White House Delegation
Malema’s criticism extended to the composition of Ramaphosa’s delegation, which included billionaire Johann Rupert, golfers Ernie Els and Retief Goosen, and Democratic Alliance (DA) leader John Steenhuisen. He accused the group of representing “white privileged men” who colluded to undermine South Africa’s transformation agenda. “A group of older men meet in Washington to gossip about me,” Malema quipped, alleging that Rupert, a long-time adversary, used the meeting to lobby for Elon Musk’s Starlink to bypass South Africa’s Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) laws.
The EFF leader singled out Steenhuisen for admitting that the DA joined the Government of National Unity (GNU) to “keep the EFF out of power.” Malema called this a “pact” to block genuine transformation, accusing the ANC of aligning with “white capital” to maintain the status quo. He also criticized Ramaphosa for sidelining International Relations Minister Ronald Lamola in favor of Steenhuisen during the talks, questioning why agriculture was prioritized over diplomacy. “Have you juniorized this ministry?” Malema asked, referencing his parliamentary challenge to Ramaphosa.
EFF’s Commitment to Transformation
Malema reiterated the EFF’s unwavering commitment to land expropriation without compensation, a policy central to addressing South Africa’s stark inequalities. According to the 2022 census, white South Africans, who make up 7% of the population, own two-thirds of farmland, while Black South Africans, comprising 81%, hold minimal land. The Expropriation Act, signed into law in January 2025, allows for land seizures in rare cases to redress apartheid-era disparities, but no such actions have been implemented yet.
“We will not agree to compromise our political principles on land expropriation without compensation for political expediency,” Malema stated, responding to Trump’s allegations that the policy targets white farmers. He dismissed claims of a “white genocide,” noting that official crime statistics show farm murders (49 in 2023) constitute less than 1% of South Africa’s 27,000 annual homicides, with young Black men in urban areas being the primary victims.
The EFF leader also addressed local issues in Ngwathe, promising to “fix” the municipality, which he described as a “failed” entity under ANC leadership. “Our chances look very high,” he told the media, expressing confidence in the EFF’s electoral prospects. Malema emphasized the party’s mission to “conscientize” people, stating, “If we convert two or three people to believe in the message of economic freedom, that will be a big achievement.”
Starlink Controversy and BEE Regulations
Malema’s address coincided with a proposed policy shift by Communications Minister Solly Malatsi to allow Starlink, owned by Elon Musk, to operate in South Africa without meeting the 30% BEE equity ownership requirement. Malatsi’s draft policy, gazetted on May 23, 2025, suggests recognizing “equity equivalent investment programmes” (EEIPs) to attract multinational investment. These programs would allow companies like Starlink to invest in broadband infrastructure, skills development, or rural connectivity instead of transferring equity.
The EFF, through spokesperson Sinawo Thambo, condemned the move as “unconstitutional” and a betrayal of South Africa’s sovereignty. “We will oppose this Starlink deal in Parliament, in the courts, and in the streets if necessary,” Thambo stated on May 20, 2025, accusing Ramaphosa of bowing to Musk and Trump. Malema echoed this sentiment, warning against “back-room dealings” that undermine transformative laws like the NHI Act, BELA Act, and Expropriation Act.
Broader Political Context
Malema’s remarks come amid strained South Africa-U.S. relations, exacerbated by Trump’s February 2025 executive order granting refugee status to 59 Afrikaners, citing alleged persecution. Ramaphosa, supported by ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula, has dismissed these claims as “fabrications” designed to delegitimize South Africa’s democracy. “There is no genocide here,” Ramaphosa said on May 16, 2025, in Kimberley, emphasizing unity across racial lines.
The White House meeting also highlighted geopolitical tensions, with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio linking improved ties to South Africa reconsidering its stance on Israel’s actions in Gaza. South Africa’s 2023 ICJ case against Israel has drawn U.S. criticism, with Rubio alleging alignment with Iran and China. Malema, however, framed the EFF’s opposition to imperialism as a defense of South Africa’s sovereignty, stating, “The only organization that is hated by imperialists is EFF.”
EFF’s Revolutionary Message
Malema concluded his Koppies address with a call to action, urging supporters to defend South Africa’s constitutional democracy. He paid tribute to Winnie Mandela, vowing to continue singing struggle songs like “Kill the Boer” despite external pressures. “I WILL NEVER STOP SINGING A SONG THAT WINNIE MANDELA SANG,” he declared, framing it as a betrayal of the liberation struggle to do otherwise.
The EFF leader also outlined social initiatives, including providing free sanitary pads for girl children and pursuing private prosecution for a family in need, ensuring medical care for a person named Cwecwe. Ending with the revolutionary chant “Shoot to kill, Nyamazana! Kill the Boer, the farmer!” Malema energized the crowd, reinforcing the EFF’s militant stance.
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