The IFP believes that the ANC's decision today to defend youth leader Julius
Malema for singing, "shoot the boers, they are rapists", will cause untold
harm to South Africa's nation-building and reconciliation efforts.

"We are absolutely shocked and disgusted that the ANC has decided to stand
by Julius Malema when the slogan in question has been declared hate speech
by the Human Rights Commission. The ANC is now flouting the Constitution, it
has clearly abandoned reconciliation and national-building efforts and it is
now no longer guided by the principles, values and vision of our nation's
founding father, Nelson Mandela. God help us all if Malema is now the ANC's
voice of authority," said Velphi Ndlovu, the IFP's spokesperson on Police
and Labour.

Ndlovu added: "When the De La Rey controversy erupted, government and other
ANC heavyweights were very vocal in their condemnation of the song, calling
it a 'call to arms'. However, now that we have a call to kill emanating from
their own ranks, the ANC's silence on this issue is deafening. It tells us a
lot about the soul of today's ANC", added Ndlovu.

Ndlovu said that Malema's song comes against the backdrop of 800 attacks
against farmers every year.

"We sympathise with the plight of farmers and farmer workers. Farm attacks
are on the increase and there is already a sense that government is not
doing enough to protect this section of our society. Malema's comments will
certainly exacerbate these beliefs," said Ndlovu.

Ndlovu said that the ANC should make its views clear on this matter and on
Malema.

"In support of Malema, is the ANC now declaring war? This is a question that
must be answered. Also, are Malema's rants now the ANC's official views too?
The IFP believes that the ANC's continuous failure to reprimand Malema will
see race relations regressing to worse levels than before 1994. The ANC is
now, at an alarming pace, undoing all the hard work we have done so far in
building a cohesive society. Soon enough we will be back to square one,"
added Ndlovu.