Dossier on Malema raises fears for US-SA relations

AFRIFORUM CAMPAIGN

- MANDILAKHE TSHWETE

AFRIFORUM'S decision to deliver a dossier on EFF leader Julius Malema to senior officials at the White House has raised warnings about potentially undermining the already fragile relations between South Africa and the US.

Political analyst Zakhele Ndlovu said the move risked complicating diplomatic and trade engagements while feeding narratives of racial tension.

“This group from South Africa has shown more confidence in the US government than in the South African criminal justice system,” Ndlovu said.

He noted that Trade and Industry Minister Parks Tau was in Washington trying to repair ties strained by trade tariffs, while AfrifForum and its partners were sending a contradictory message abroad.

Ndlovu also discussed the contentious “Kill the Boer” chant, which has been at the centre of AfriForum’s campaign.

“The courts have made a decision and ruled that this song is consistent with free speech. It is not unlawful to sing it. But AfriForum argues that by allowing it, the song promotes hatred and undermines reconciliation,” he said.

He warned that pushing the issue internationally risked amplifying claims of “white genocide” in South Africa, a narrative that could further strain US-SA relations.

“By taking this matter to the US, AfriForum risks feeding into the perception that Afrikaners are a persecuted minority facing genocide, which could create unnecessary international tension and complicate trade negotiations,” Ndlovu said.

AfriForum, the civil rights organisation representing Afrikaner interests, handed the dossier alongside the Solidarity Movement as part of its ongoing international campaign to hold Malema accountable, both domestically and abroad.