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Treasonous or Not: Did Julius Actually Mean “Kill the Police”?

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Our favourite rabble rouser and wearer of expensive timepieces, the CiC of the EFF, Julius Malema is no stranger to controversy – as his latest singing of the struggle song “Kill the Boer” at the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) 10th Birthday Bash showed.

I am sure that Julius Malema is fully aware that the term ‘Boers’, as used during the struggle, refers to policemen. Which then begs answers to the question; “Why has our government and, more specifically Mr Bheki Cele, been completely silent on what could be construed as treasonous and anarchist words from a man who should know better.”

Now, what many people forget is that during the time of the struggle (during the years of apartheid) the South African Police Service’s members were referred to as the Amabunu (boers).

Frankly – if I was a policeman today I would be a little bit more wary going about my job for the forseeable future.

A number of interpretations of the derogatory word, Boers/Amabunu, abound:

  1. During apartheid the enemy was the Amabunu – the police.
  2. ‘Amabhunu’ can have the hint of a ‘smear’ in it rather as the words ‘Vaalpens’ (Transvaler), ‘soutie’ (white English-speaking South African) and ‘hairyback’ (Afrikaner) have.
  3. In the 1980’s the youth refered to all white people as AmaBhunu (boers). One could be an English liberal running some alternative educational structure or an Italian artisan building homes in black areas. All of them were labelled boers.
  4. Many protests during that time were broken up by participants shouting a warning when the police arrived; “Hier kom die boere!”

So, strictly speaking ‘Mr’ Malema by singing “Kill the Boer, Kill the Farmer” you are actually calling for the killing of policemen/boers along with the eradication of the means of food production by killing farmers – treasonous words indeed!

Editor: Dear Afriforum – maybe your knee jerk reaction on a race basis to the “Kill the Boer” song was your failing? You could have ‘nailed’ Julius on his calling for policement to be killed?

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Alan Straton

Chief Cook, Bottle Washer and Broom Mechanic at MyPE
Passionate about Port Elizabeth and definitely NOT packing for Perth. Alan's ethos is epitomised in the words of Nelson Mandela; "I have fought against white domination and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the idea of a democratic and free society. If need be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die." See more articles by Alan.