Word 'boer' not racist or racially offensive, ConCourt rules
13 September 2018
The word "boer" is not racist or racially offensive, but is "inappropriate" when used in certain struggle songs.
This was the unanimous judgment of the Constitutional Court on Thursday following a labour dispute after the dismissal of nine employees by Germiston-based manufacturing company Duncanmec for singing a struggle song with "racial lyrics" during a strike.
During a strike between April 30 and May 2, 2013, the nine workers were filmed singing a well-known struggle song with lyrics that translate to "climb on the rooftop and shout that my mother is rejoicing when we hit the boers".
The employees were dismissed after being found guilty of participating in unlawful strike action and for singing the song.