Lobby group AfriForum wants President Cyril Ramaphosa to publicly condemn the anti-apartheid “Kill the Boer” chant, sang by Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema on Friday, during a Human Rights Day Commemoration in Sharpeville.

Malema addressed party supporters during the rally, where he said, “We do not come here to commemorate a so-called ‘Human Rights Day’, but to remember and honour the sacrifice of those who fell on March 21, 1960, at the hands of a murderous apartheid regime.”

AfriForum CEO Kallie Kriel then posted on X. “As President @realDonaldTrump would say: 'VERY BAD' things are happening in South Africa. Today, the chant 'Kill the Boer, kill the farmer,' which targets Afrikaners and farmers, was once again sung in South Africa. @PresidencyZA Ramaphosa and other senior ANC leaders were, as always, silent—once again giving it tacit support by not condemning it. Ironically, this happened today, a day officially recognised as Human Rights Day in South Africa.”

He also tagged US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and South African-born American political commentator Joel Pollak on the post.

AfriForum has come under fire for allegedly stoking tensions between the US and South Africa and for causing social division.

Now, the organisation wants Ramaphosa to take an “unapologetic stance” against the “Kill the Boer” chant, which it argues targets the white minority and farmers.

“If the President wants to improve race relations and wants to ensure that all citizens of the country feel safe and no one is explicitly targeted or ignored, condemning this violent chant would be a decisive step in the right direction,” AfriForum said on Tuesday.

AfriForum head of public relations Ernst van Zyl accused Ramaphosa of being “silent”, which he said showed that the President was more concerned with not “upsetting” Malema.

“For years the government has given the farmers of this country a cold shoulder and turned a blind eye to the extreme violence that affects farmers in the form of brutal farm attacks and murders. The government has also never condemned chants like ‘Kill the Boer’ that target farmers. That needs to change and the current crisis is the perfect opportunity,” Van Zyl said.

Further, AfriForum wants farm murders to be classified as a national priority alongside gender-based violence, cash-in-transit crimes, gang violence and rhino poaching, accusing the government of ignoring crimes that effect minorities and farmers.

It further called on government to work with neighbourhood watches and farm patrols in rural communities.