South African politician Julius Malema found guilty of hate speech

South African politician Julius Malema has been found guilty of hate speech for comments he made at a 2022 political rally.  

“No white man is going to beat me up,” Malema said, “You must never be scared to kill.”  

The country’s equality court ruled the statement "demonstrated an intent to incite harm," but Malema’s far-left Economic Freedom Fighters Party said it had been taken out of context.  

Malema featured in a video US President Donald Trump played to South Africa’s Cyril Ramaphosa during a meeting at the White House earlier this year. Trump falsely accused the South African government of sanctioning the murder of white farmers in order to steal their land. The US has since cut all financial aid to South Africa, alleging anti-white and anti-American policies.  

Malema was previous convicted of hate speech in a separate case for repeating an apartheid-era chant at rallies that contains the words “shoot the boer," referring to South Africa’s white Afrikaner farmers. The verdict was later overturned. 

Equality courts deal with allegations of discrimination and can order those found guilty to issue a public apology, pay compensation or face criminal prosecution. No order has yet been made regarding Malema’s punishment in this latest case.  

Malema, who is a lawmaker but not in government, has often been condemned in his own country for his political speech. He was twice denied a visa to travel to the UK this year because of his public statements, which include support for the Palestinian militant group Hamas.