Dubul' ibhunu

"Dubul' ibhunu" (Xhosa: [dəbʊliːbuːnuː]), translated as shoot the Boer,[1] as kill the Boer[2] or as kill the farmer,[3][4] is a controversial anti-apartheid South African song. It is sung in Xhosa or Zulu. The song originates in the struggle against apartheid when it was first sung to protest the Afrikaner-dominated apartheid government of South Africa.[5]

Supporters of the song see it as a song that articulates an important part of South Africa's history,[6][7] is an important part of political discourse,[8][9] and that its meaning has been misconstrued.[10] Opponents of the song argue that can be seen to bear a literal interpretation[5][11][12][13] and therefore constitutes hate speech.[5][14] Social and political commentators on South Africa, such as Jonathan Jansen[15][16] and Stephen Grootes,[17] have noted the song's ability to increase racial divisions[18][19] and polarisation whilst strengthening radicals on either side of the country's political spectrum.[17]

  1. ^ Gray, Louise (10 September 2010). "Can Music Kill?". Index on Censorship. 39 (3): 112–120. doi:10.1177/0306422010379686.
  2. ^ Thompson, Mabunda M.; Ramhurry, Cindy (7 March 2014). "A uniting song that divides: A critical analysis of (Kill the Boer)". Muziki. 11 (1): 32–42. doi:10.1080/18125980.2014.893091. S2CID 145002213.
  3. ^ Broughton, By Tania (25 August 2022). "Judge rules that "Kill the boer - Kill the farmer" is not hate speech". GroundUp News. Retrieved 20 March 2024.
  4. ^ Croucamp, Piet (11 August 2023). "It's not whites who should fear Malema's rhetoric". Vrye Weekblad (in Afrikaans). Retrieved 20 March 2024.
  5. ^ a b c Brkic, Branko (29 March 2010). "'Kill the Boer': a brief history". Daily Maverick. Retrieved 16 March 2019.
  6. ^ Quintal, Genevieve (19 May 2011). "'Shoot the boer': Lost in translation?". The M&G Online. Retrieved 16 March 2019.
  7. ^ Msila, Vuyisile (20 September 2011). "Mini and the song: The place of protest song in history" (PDF). www.sahistory.org.za. UNISA. p. 13. Retrieved 16 March 2019.
  8. ^ Gunner, Liz (2015). "Song, identity and the state: Julius Malema's "Dubul' ibhunu" song as catalyst". Journal of African Cultural Studies. 27 (3): 326–341. doi:10.1080/13696815.2015.1035701. ISSN 1369-6815. JSTOR 24758684. S2CID 142721849.
  9. ^ "Malema, Economic Freedom Fighters singing 'Kill the Boer' ruled not hate speech". The Mail & Guardian. 25 August 2022. Retrieved 7 August 2023.
  10. ^ "South Africa's songs of power". BBC News. 3 May 2014. Retrieved 7 August 2023.
  11. ^ SAPA (11 March 2010). "ANC OK with Malema singing "shoot the boer"". PoliticsWeb. Archived from the original on 26 December 2013. Retrieved 6 August 2023.
  12. ^ Mutasa, Haru. "'Shoot the Boer' freedom song banned". www.aljazeera.com. Retrieved 7 August 2023.
  13. ^ "Uproar as judge bars Shoot the Boer song". legalbrief.co.za. Retrieved 7 August 2023.
  14. ^ Gray, Louise (September 2010). "Can Music Kill?". Index on Censorship. 39 (3): 113. doi:10.1177/0306422010379686. ISSN 0306-4220. S2CID 145339333.
  15. ^ Jansen, Jonathan (2 August 2023). "There are reasons to worry about 'Kill the Boer', but genocide is not one of them". TimesLIVE. Retrieved 27 January 2024.
  16. ^ Jansen, Jonathan (3 August 2023). "'Kill the Boer' segregates citizens in a time of social and economic distress". HeraldLIVE. Retrieved 27 January 2024.
  17. ^ a b Grootes, Stephen (20 February 2022). "Song will tear us apart, again — just the way Malema and AfriForum want Song will tear us apart, again — just the way Malema and AfriForum would like". Daily Maverick. Retrieved 27 January 2024.
  18. ^ Editorial. "Editorial | Post-Dubula maturity is required". City Press. Retrieved 27 January 2024.
  19. ^ Bailie, Craig (10 August 2023). "EFF singing Kill the boer: Every S African should be concerned". Daily Maverick. Retrieved 27 January 2024.