President Donald Trump has called for the arrest of South African opposition leader Julius Malema, accusing him of inciting violence against white farmers.
Image: AFP
United States President Donald Trump has called for the arrest of South African political leader Julius Malema over his use of the controversial “Kill the Boer” chant, escalating already strained relations between the two countries.
Trump made the remarks during a high-level meeting with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa at the White House. The meeting was meant to address growing diplomatic and economic tensions.
During the meeting Democratic Alliance leader John Steenhuisen told Trump, top US officials, and media that his party joined the Government of National Unity to keep certain political parties, particularly the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) and uMkhonto weSizwe, out of government.
In an explosive start to the discussions, Trump sharply criticised what he described as the targeting of Afrikaner farmers. His comments followed a video clip showing EFF leader Malema speaking in Parliament about land reform.
The EFF claims the clip was misused to push a misleading narrative. Tensions between Washington and Pretoria have intensified since Trump’s second term, especially after his vocal criticism of South Africa’s land reform policy, which he described as a “seizure of land” from white Afrikaner farmers—a claim denied by the South African government.
Relations worsened further in February when the United States cut HIV/AIDS funding to South Africa. More recently, the US granted refugee status to 49 white South Africans, citing racial discrimination, another claim denied by Pretoria.
Earlier this year, Trump expressed his opposition to South Africa’s Expropriation Act on social media, questioning how the US could attend the G20 meeting when land confiscation and genocide were major topics.
In response, Ramaphosa said the South African Constitution protects land ownership while seeking to address the imbalances of the past. He emphasised that South Africa respects the rule of law and would like the opportunity to convince Trump.
Steenhuisen added that crime in South Africa affects all people and highlighted the need for more policing resources to ensure the safety of farmers. He reiterated that the majority of South Africa's commercial and smallholder farmers want to stay in the country and make it work.
Cape Argus