Musk, Trump, and the “White Genocide” Claims: The “Kill the Boer” Song Explained

Elon Musk has reignited controversy over South Africa’s struggle song Dubul’ ibhunu, which translates to “Kill the Boer”, accusing the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) of promoting white genocide. The song has a storied background, emerging in 1980s South Africa as a call to resistance against apartheid rule. When sung, it is usually accompanied by toyi-toying, a protest dance still seen in today’s Black political rallies, and punctuated by people shooting imaginary rifles. While the song is controversial and has been the subject of several court cases, it has been deemed harmless. In fact, a 2022 court ruling determined as much and classified it as freedom of speech. So, why do Musk and US President Donald Trump push the narrative that the song is a call for white genocide? Analysts argue that they do so to exploit South Africa’s racial issues to fuel US culture wars.

Source: Aljazeera