EFF leader Julius Malema has launched a scathing attack on US President Donald Trump, describing him as the “Adolf Hitler of the modern day”.
His comments come in response to Trump’s controversial actions and attempts to disrupt South Africa’s recent hosting of the G20 Leaders’ Summit.
Trump boycotted the G20 summit in South Africa and tried to influence other countries against South Africa’s G20 presidency. He also announced that the US would not invite South Africa to the G20 summit scheduled to be held in the US in 2026.
This was fuelled by misinformed claims of a “white genocide” targeting white Afrikaner farmers in South Africa — a notion South Africa’s government and many international bodies have disputed.
Briefing the media on Thursday, Malema said such unilateral actions resembled those of Hitler, a reviled historical figure.
“His attempt at unilaterally inviting and uninviting countries to the G20 simply because of his political interests further confirms the assessment that Donald Trump is the new Hitler that the world is faced with, and failure to recognise this reality will result in devastating consequences for the global political and economic order,” Malema said.
“It doesn’t matter what you say or do; the man [Trump] has taken a decision to go against South Africa — not because of what the EFF says but because of the government’s position against Israel.”
— Julius Malema, EFF leader
He said South Africa will fight to participate in next year’s G20.
“We are a founding member of the G20. We will mobilise international communities to condemn Trump’s actions.”
He complimented President Cyril Ramaphosa on the manner in which he handled the situation: “Ramaphosa handled this saga well, very successfully, in a situation where he was confronted with serious hostility. It was not easy to fight America. If it were me, it would have been worse.”
Read: SA will not participate in G20 finance track, says Godongwana
Malema referenced an incident in May when, during a meeting with Ramaphosa at the White House, Trump played a video clip of Malema singing the controversial anti-apartheid struggle chant Kill the Boer to try to substantiate his claims of “white genocide”.
Malema dismissed the use of the clip as an attempt to “peddle lies” about South Africa. He said Trump’s hardened stance against South Africa was not about the EFF’s political rhetoric but was rooted in the South African government’s international policies.
“It doesn’t matter what you say or do; the man has taken a decision to go against South Africa — not because of what the EFF says but because of the government’s position against Israel.”
He asserted that two key actions have alienated the US:
- South Africa’s decision to take the Israeli government to the International Court of Justice.
- South Africa’s participation in the Brics bloc of nations.
Malema also criticised Ramaphosa’s delegation that attended the White House meeting, singling out presidency minister Khumbudzo Ntshavheni. He referred to the delegation as “clowns” who had to “explain themselves” and specifically called Ntshavheni the “biggest clown of them [all]”.
Malema recounted an interaction with Ntshavheni at a funeral, in which she allegedly claimed Trump had assured her he would attend the G20 after she spoke to her “friend”, Elon Musk.
“Our president went there with his clowns and explained himself, and it didn’t work. The biggest clown of them [all] is Ntshavheni.”
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