South African President Cyril Ramaphosa appears to be protecting opposition politician Julius Malema, who has been leading public calls to murder white farmers in the country.
President Donald Trump has demanded that Ramaphosa have Malema arrested if he’s serious about tackling the mass killings of white farmers in South Africa.
Trump asserted that Malema should be arrested for repeatedly chanting “kill the farmer.”
However, Ramaphosa hit back against Trump’s demand on Tuesday.
Also on Tuesday, a senior politician within South Africa’s government backed Trump, noting that the chant “inflamed hatred” and called for “legal consequences.”
In the White House Oval Office last week, Trump confronted then-visiting Ramaphosa and played a video showing Malema making the chant during rallies.
Trump told the South African leader that Malema should be arrested.
Malema is leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) political party.
The EFF drew just under 10% of the vote in last May’s South African election.
However, the party is not part of the government of national unity.
On Sunday, Malema told a crowd of thousands at a rally in South Africa’s Free State:
“I will never be intimidated by Donald Trump.”
Just four days after Trump’s call that he