“Live by the sword, die by the sword” is a phrase that has adorned the lips of many South Africans following the death of AWB (Afrikaner Weerstandsbeweging ) leader Eugene Terre’Blanche. As the director of a neo-Nazi unit that boasts white supremacy with the assistance of a revamped swastika, it is not really a surprise that Terre’Blanche met a violent end. What is a shock (to those with their heads in the sand) is that South Africa is no “rainbow nation” – a slogan that is forced down the throats of international audiences. The concept of truth and reconciliation is in fact a farce – racism is rife and Terre’Blanche’s bloody murder is a statement to that effect. Black and white are as polarised in the year 2010 as they were during the Apartheid years, the only difference is that there is no law prescribing discrimination. As Zapiro suggests, in spite of Terre’Blanche’s best efforts over the course of many years, all he had to do was get killed to “incite race hatred”.
Terre’blanche’s murder follows a criminal charge laid with the SA Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) against ANC Youth League leader Julius Malema for singing “Dubula amabhunu baya raypha” (Zulu for, ‘Shoot the boers (farmers), they are rapists’) with a group of students at the University of Johannesburg. ANC spokesperson Jackson Mthembu claims that the anti-Apartheid song has been taken out of context. Mthembu explains: “It [the song] says, ‘some people are cowards’, it says, ‘use your gun to shoot’, because it is reminiscent of fighting a war.” But few are buying the ‘it’s a metaphor’ excuse, especially when the number of farmers murdered since the end of apartheid in 1994 has passed 3,000. If the government perhaps fulfilled its promise of far reaching and improved education for all perhaps notion of ‘metaphor’ would be a concept better understood by the poorly educated South African population – giving the argument gravitas. Interestingly, this song was sung many years before 29 year old Malema was born. Mthembu claims that Malema does not even know who the writer of the song is. Malema has revived a song that is part of a struggle that he played no part in. And Malema claims that he will not stop singing it.
It is safe to assume that there are many South Africans as well as internationals who agree with Zapiro’s opinion of Malema as “a puffed-up semi-educated corrupt sexist rabble-rousing bully who swears 
when he can’t argue and whose chilling presidential ambitions are made scarier by his stalinist intolerance of media freedom”. As leader of the ANC Youth League, Malema is being groomed for the presidential role and if a man who faced charges of corruption, fraud, money laundering and racketeering can be elected president, then Malema’s seat is assured. After promising that South Africa would emulate Mugabe’s policy of land seizures at a recent visit to crony Robert Mugabe, Malema’s agenda remains clearer and more disturbing than ever. South African president Jacob Zuma has not been able to rein in his over fed puppy and is now learning the effects of his liberal approach to Malema’s unacceptable behaviour, which spiralled out of control at last year’s national election. With the world cup around the corner, one can only wonder what rabble-rousing antic Malema will pull out of the bag … as president Zuma looks on. The beast needs to be tamed: the beast of racism, the beast named Zuma-pandering, as well as the Malema-beast.
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Tame the Beast
“Live by the sword, die by the sword” is a phrase that has adorned the lips of many South Africans following the death of AWB (Afrikaner Weerstandsbeweging ) leader Eugene Terre’Blanche. As the director of a neo-Nazi unit that boasts white supremacy with the assistance of a revamped swastika, it is not really a surprise that Terre’Blanche met a violent end. What is a shock (to those with their heads in the sand) is that South Africa is no “rainbow nation” – a slogan that is forced down the throats of international audiences. The concept of truth and reconciliation is in fact a farce – racism is rife and Terre’Blanche’s bloody murder is a statement to that effect. Black and white are as polarised in the year 2010 as they were during the Apartheid years, the only difference is that there is no law prescribing discrimination. As Zapiro suggests, in spite of Terre’Blanche’s best efforts over the course of many years, all he had to do was get killed to “incite race hatred”.
Terre’blanche’s murder follows a criminal charge laid with the SA Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) against ANC Youth League leader Julius Malema for singing “Dubula amabhunu baya raypha” (Zulu for, ‘Shoot the boers (farmers), they are rapists’) with a group of students at the University of Johannesburg. ANC spokesperson Jackson Mthembu claims that the anti-Apartheid song has been taken out of context. Mthembu explains: “It [the song] says, ‘some people are cowards’, it says, ‘use your gun to shoot’, because it is reminiscent of fighting a war.” But few are buying the ‘it’s a metaphor’ excuse, especially when the number of farmers murdered since the end of apartheid in 1994 has passed 3,000. If the government perhaps fulfilled its promise of far reaching and improved education for all perhaps notion of ‘metaphor’ would be a concept better understood by the poorly educated South African population – giving the argument gravitas. Interestingly, this song was sung many years before 29 year old Malema was born. Mthembu claims that Malema does not even know who the writer of the song is. Malema has revived a song that is part of a struggle that he played no part in. And Malema claims that he will not stop singing it.
It is safe to assume that there are many South Africans as well as internationals who agree with Zapiro’s opinion of Malema as “a puffed-up semi-educated corrupt sexist rabble-rousing bully who swears
when he can’t argue and whose chilling presidential ambitions are made scarier by his stalinist intolerance of media freedom”. As leader of the ANC Youth League, Malema is being groomed for the presidential role and if a man who faced charges of corruption, fraud, money laundering and racketeering can be elected president, then Malema’s seat is assured. After promising that South Africa would emulate Mugabe’s policy of land seizures at a recent visit to crony Robert Mugabe, Malema’s agenda remains clearer and more disturbing than ever. South African president Jacob Zuma has not been able to rein in his over fed puppy and is now learning the effects of his liberal approach to Malema’s unacceptable behaviour, which spiralled out of control at last year’s national election. With the world cup around the corner, one can only wonder what rabble-rousing antic Malema will pull out of the bag … as president Zuma looks on. The beast needs to be tamed: the beast of racism, the beast named Zuma-pandering, as well as the Malema-beast.
Other posts you might like: