JOHANNESBURG – Billionaire Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, has ignited a firestorm of controversy by calling for immediate sanctions against Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema, labelling him an “international criminal.” The spat stems from an old video in which Malema makes remarks that have been widely condemned as racially divisive.
Musk’s intervention comes amidst heightened racial tensions in South Africa, with some claiming that white Afrikaners are facing persecution. The video in question features Malema addressing a crowd, stating, “So these people, when you want to hit them hard, go for a white man. They feel a terrible pain because you have touched a white man… We are starting with this whiteness. We are cutting the throat of whiteness.”
Musk responded to the clip on social media platform X, accusing Malema of inciting genocide against white South Africans and demanding that he be sanctioned and declared an international criminal.
Immediate sanctions for Malema and declaration of him as an international criminal! https://t.co/KLwfsp9c2j
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 9, 2025
Malema, however, remains defiant, dismissing Musk as a “spoiled brat” and a beneficiary of apartheid-era privileges. The EFF leader has doubled down on his stance, vowing to continue advocating for the rights of black South Africans, regardless of international criticism.
“The EFF declare Elon Musk as an enemy of South Africa, and a capturer of governance in the USA who will lead to that nation’s downfall,” the EFF said in a statement. “All progressive nations, including Russia, China, India, and all African states ought to isolate and reject all enterprises pursued by Elon Musk in their nations. Elon Musk has captured the Presidency of the USA and has weaponised his office as an instrument to pursue his business interests globally. His nefarious influence must be opposed and undermined by all nations which respect their sovereignty and seek to maintain independence.”
This is not the first time Musk has clashed with Malema. In 2023, the tech mogul voiced his outrage over Malema’s chanting of “Kill the boer” during the EFF’s 10th-anniversary rally, accusing him of inciting violence against white farmers.
The EFF has responded with further condemnation, accusing Musk of meddling in South African affairs and threatening to block his Starlink operations unless he complies with a 30% local ownership mandate.
“The EFF takes this opportunity to tell Elon Musk and all of his allies, in the USA, in Israel, and the right-wing groups in South Africa which have mobilized Musk, to collectively go to hell,” the party declared.
The party further claimed that Musk has “captured the U.S. presidency” and is using his influence to push a global capitalist agenda.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has previously rejected claims that his government is seizing land or oppressing white farmers, emphasising that the Expropriation Act is a legal process aimed at equitable land redistribution, similar to policies in the U.S. and other countries.
