Three-quarters of metro adults feel "Kill the boer"/"Kill the farmer" counts as hate speech

In a survey of 2 000 residents of South Africa's metropolitan areas conducted in May and June 2010, and released today, TNS Research Surveys (Pty) Ltd, South Africa's leading marketing and social insights company, revealed that 74% of metro adults felt that the phrases "Kill the boer" or "Kill the farmer" constitute hate speech.  TNS said that 18% disagreed whilst 8% gave a "don't know" response.

Although the level of agreement differed considerably by race, showing that this could be a very emotive issue, the majority of all race groups felt that these phases were hate speech:

• Agree that "kill the boer" or "Kill the farmer" are hate speech - 74%
  • Blacks - 66%
  • Whites - 90%
  • Coloureds - 82%
  • Indians/Asians - 91%
• Disagree - 18% (blacks - 24%; whites - 5%; coloureds - 13%; Indians/Asians - 5%)
• Don't know - 8% (blacks - 10%; whites - 5%; coloureds - 5%; Indians/Asians - 4%)

There are no differences between males and females or across different age groups.  Not surprisingly, differences between home-language groups occur:

• Agree - 74%
  • English - 88%
  • Afrikaans - 87% (this rises to 90% amongst white Afrikaans home-language people
  • Zulu - 68%
  • Xhosa - 67%
  • Sotho - 61%
  • Tswana/Other - 63%

Amongst white Afrikaners, the level of agreement is higher amongst those aged under 34 years (94%) and those aged 50 years and more (93%) and is lowest amongst those aged between 35 and 49 years (84%).  This appears to be related partly to employment status - those working had a lower level of agreement (88%) compared with retirees, students and housewives (100%).

Because of the differing race and language compositions of different cities, differences by area are to be expected.  The levels of agreement are highest in Johannesburg, Cape Town and East London and lowest in Bloemfontein.  Areas surrounding central Johannesburg also all tend to be lower than average.

Our take out

Whilst there are important differences between race groups in metro South Africa, it is noteworthy that a majority of all groupings feel that these phrases do indeed constitute hate speech.  Amongst white Afrikaans people, the figures are lowest in the 35 to 49 year-old age group, and this may link to some extent at least to employment status.  It may be that there is greater cross-cultural contact in this most economically active group.

In a telephone study of 500 people conducted by TNS in October 2004, 74% agreed that these phrases constituted hate speech.  Whilst this was a landline study and, therefore, not directly comparable with the latest results, it is worth noting that the figures are of the same order of magnitude with figures for the different race groups being 68% for blacks, 86% for whites, 63% for coloureds and 83% for Indians/Asians.  It seems that attitudes have changed very little in the intervening six-and-a-half years.         

Technical note

The study was conducted amongst 2 000 adults (1260 blacks, 385 whites, 240 coloureds and 115 Indians/Asians) in the seven major metropolitan areas: it has a margin of error of under 2.5% for the results found for the total sample.  The study used probability sampling techniques and is fully representative of the major metropolitan areas.  The study was conducted by TNS Research Surveys (Pty) Ltd as part of their ongoing research into current social and political issues and were funded by TNS Research Surveys. 

Statement issued by Neil Higgs, Head of Innovation, TNS Research Surveys, April 11 2011

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