Overview
- President Cyril Ramaphosa cited a 2022 Constitutional Court ruling to defend the chant as a liberation slogan rather than hate speech.
- In their May 21 Oval Office meeting, President Donald Trump dimmed the lights to show video he said depicted genocide against white farmers.
- Economic Freedom Fighters leader Julius Malema defiantly repeated the chant after Trump’s demand for his arrest, declaring he would not be intimidated.
- The opposition Democratic Alliance condemned the slogan for inflaming racial hatred and urged legal action against incitement.
- The diplomatic row has strained U.S.–South Africa ties and raised questions about Trump’s attendance at South Africa’s upcoming G20 summit.