Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema has come under fire after making several controversial claims during a parliamentary address, which was later posted on the party’s YouTube channel.
Malema stated that the widely reported phenomenon of farm killings in South Africa is a fabrication, declaring: “It’s a lie that there are farm killings in South Africa,” and further alleged that farmers are in fact killing each other “for greedy reasons.”
In the same speech, he repeated an unverified assertion that the United States operates a secret military base in neighbouring Botswana, allegedly used “to listen to every conversation we have.”
However, a review of official government records, security data, and independent media reporting shows that several of Malema’s claims are either inaccurate or lack substantiating evidence.
Crime data from the South African Police Service (SAPS) does record attacks and murders on farms, and while the motives vary, the trend is documented and has been the subject of parliamentary debate and civil society concern for years.
Similarly, there is no publicly confirmed evidence of a US military base in Botswana used for surveillance purposes. The US Embassy and Botswana’s government have previously denied such claims.
Analysts say such remarks risk fueling misinformation and further polarising political discourse in the lead-up to the national elections.
Malema has yet to respond to calls for clarification on the sources behind his claims.