[Fwd: Parties slam Malema's 'kill the boer' chants]

By Carien du Plessis
Political Bureau

ANC Youth League leader Julius Malema's "kill the boer" chant could land
him in hot water after a barrage of criticism from political parties and
complaints to the Human Rights Commission and the police.

The commission was apparently inundated with phone calls from irate
members of the public after Malema sang dubul' ibhunu at a University of
Johannesburg gathering on Tuesday. The complainants described the song,
which was also sang at Malema's birthday rally, as hate speech.

Commission spokesperson Vincent Moaga said by on Wednesday afternoon
that they had received at least 10 letters of complaint, one of which
was from the Afrikanerbond.

The commission years ago ruled that Malema's predecessor, Peter Mokaba's
slogan "Kill the boer, the farmer" was hate speech.

Constitutional expert Pierre de Vos from the University of Cape Town
said on Wednesday Malema's song was "probably hate speech" as it was
directed against harming a specific group of people based on race.

Freedom Front Plus leader Pieter Mulder said on Wednesday he had lodged
a complaint of hate speech against Malema with the Brooklyn police.

The Afrikanerbond's Jan Bosman said Malema's song comes against the
backdrop of 750 to 800 attacks against farmers every year.

Apart from these complaints, Malema could also face a defamation suit
from Western Cape Premier Helen Zille.

The DA leader said she would seek legal opinion after Malema's
accusations that she was a "satanist" because she broke down churches in
Khayelitsha.

She accused President Jacob Zuma of "tip-toeing" around Malema, and
said: "Malema is leading the ANC by the nose. He is a law unto himself."

This article was originally published on page 1 of The Cape Times on
March 11, 2010