Exhortation to "Kill the boer, kill the farmer" yields another life
Despite this weekend's decision by the ANC's leadership (NEC) to clamp down on internal, individual leadership spats, it has again skirted the opportunity to castigate Julius Malema's "call to arms" against white farmers (see report).
South Africa has an ignoble bloody history that is not entirely a source of national pride. Our history of wars between "Brit and Boer", colonialists and indigenous people, followed by years of political segregation and oppression, have left a legacy of emotional scars and deep seated resentment. These emotions are borne by almost all communities in our society and simmer just below the skin.
The democratization of our country, followed by the establishment of a constitutional order, has been greatly assisted by national reconciliation, either directly through the Truth and Reconciliation Commission or simply by the reconciliatory leadership of President Nelson Mandela. Regrettably the appetite for this commitment is less evident in the current crop of ANC leaders.
The fact that neither President Zuma, nor Gwede Mantashe are prepared to castigate Malema for scratching open these scars and actually inciting violence is alarming.
Mantashe alleges that it is the media that has "vulgarized" the words and meaning to the controversially provocative "freedom" song, "Dubul ibunu" - this smacks of the most irresponsible kind of obfuscation, because it is Malema's own vulgarization of the song that causes so much hatred, revulsion and exception.
In a country reeling under a violent crime wave that apparently warrants the "militarization" of the police services, such songs should never be allowed to be used as an exhortation to take up arms against one of the most vulnerable sectors of society.
Farmers have been under siege for years and the demobilisation of the Commandos has exacerbated their vulnerability. Mantashe says "we must never be seen to be oversensitive about white fears at the expense of black aspirations ... because if we do that we may nurse white fears, let's not alienate (whites) and ultimately in the process alienate people who suffered for decades because we are not paying attention to their plight and/or to their aspiration".
Well, it appears that the cold hearted attackers of the KwaZulu-Natal farming couple, Mr and Mrs Railfe, were "inspired" to kill Mrs Lynette Railfe and seriously wound her husband all for a few bottles of wine. How can the aspirations of such people be placed above those of law abiding citizens whose lives are placed at risk by the irresponsible chanting of inflammatory songs by ANC leaders and their spokespersons who find themselves compromised and feel the need to lash out? The perpetrators of this cowardly attack must be brought to book as a matter of urgency.
If the President is actually serious about initiating a national morality debate, he would do well to begin by addressing this particular issue that is polarizing our society more than ever. If Julius Malema is allowed to be this country's moral beacon or lodestar - heaven help us all.
The said song has been found to incite hatred and cannot be condoned by the ANC leadership let alone be sung by them on public platforms.
Statement issued by Athol Trollip, MP, Democratic Alliance parliamentary leader , March 15 2010
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