Julius Malema condemned the attack on farmer Donovan Marx, then defended a disputed liberation chant at an EFF rally in Soweto. The party leader told a large crowd at Orlando Stadium that he rejects violence against farmers of any race.
Marx, 50, suffered severe injuries during an assault near Ventersdorp in North West. Reports say the assailants used a gun and a knife before severing his ears. The case has drawn fresh concern over safety in rural South Africa.
During his speech, Malema urged police to catch those behind the crime. He even called for the suspects to be brought before EFF members at the stadium, claiming his party would deal with them.
And he had harsh words for the Government of National Unity. In his view, poor law enforcement has left farm workers and landowners at risk. He argued that the state must do more to protect rural areas.
The EFF leader also rejected claims that South Africa faces a campaign of white genocide. Still, he felt that each farm killing gave those claims more attention and made the debate harder to settle.
Then came the dispute over the historic struggle song associated with killing Boers and farmers. Malema argued that its words refer to the liberation struggle rather than a real call to murder people. Reports differ on the exact lyrics he later sang.
Washington has weighed in as well. The US State Department has reportedly pressed South African leaders to reject racial threats and calls for harm. The Trump administration also wants rural crime treated as a major police concern.
Yet investigators have not tied the song to the assault on Marx. They have also not confirmed a racial motive, leaving those questions separate from the facts established in the criminal probe.
There has been movement in that probe, though. Police detained two people, while another suspected attacker remains at large. Officers also found the farmer's stolen bakkie in Ikageng, near Potchefstroom.
Lieutenant General Arthur Peter Adams, who heads policing in North West, confirmed the arrests. His team has been working with local farm groups as it seeks the rest of those believed to be involved.
Marx remains under medical care, with his health described as serious but stable. Meanwhile, the dispute over Malema's speech continues, even as the police case focuses on finding those responsible for the assault.
Marx, 50, suffered severe injuries during an assault near Ventersdorp in North West. Reports say the assailants used a gun and a knife before severing his ears. The case has drawn fresh concern over safety in rural South Africa.
During his speech, Malema urged police to catch those behind the crime. He even called for the suspects to be brought before EFF members at the stadium, claiming his party would deal with them.
And he had harsh words for the Government of National Unity. In his view, poor law enforcement has left farm workers and landowners at risk. He argued that the state must do more to protect rural areas.
The EFF leader also rejected claims that South Africa faces a campaign of white genocide. Still, he felt that each farm killing gave those claims more attention and made the debate harder to settle.
Then came the dispute over the historic struggle song associated with killing Boers and farmers. Malema argued that its words refer to the liberation struggle rather than a real call to murder people. Reports differ on the exact lyrics he later sang.
Washington has weighed in as well. The US State Department has reportedly pressed South African leaders to reject racial threats and calls for harm. The Trump administration also wants rural crime treated as a major police concern.
Yet investigators have not tied the song to the assault on Marx. They have also not confirmed a racial motive, leaving those questions separate from the facts established in the criminal probe.
There has been movement in that probe, though. Police detained two people, while another suspected attacker remains at large. Officers also found the farmer's stolen bakkie in Ikageng, near Potchefstroom.
Lieutenant General Arthur Peter Adams, who heads policing in North West, confirmed the arrests. His team has been working with local farm groups as it seeks the rest of those believed to be involved.
Marx remains under medical care, with his health described as serious but stable. Meanwhile, the dispute over Malema's speech continues, even as the police case focuses on finding those responsible for the assault.
