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The Irish pop star Bono is entering a South African debate about freedom songs of which he knows nothing. It would be arrogant and impetuous of me, as a South African to comment on the complicated political conflict in Northern Ireland. Yet, Bono as a foreigner is doing exactly that and wades into the South African debate about the “Shoot the Boer-song” without having the vaguest idea of exactly what this debate is really all about,” Dr. Pieter Mulder, leader of the Freedom Front Plus said.

With his comments Bono clearly shows no understanding of the South African society’s complications and sensitivities and owes us an apology. Very large parts of the crowd who at great expense will be attending his concerts here are subtly being targeted by the “shoot the Boer song”.

Bono’s theoretical argument that “shoot the Boer” could indeed be sung in a certain context, is naïve and unacceptable. The current context is that young people, who know very little of the “struggle” because they had been born after it, sing the song while farmers are being killed on a weekly basis and violence and murder has become part of our society. What other meaning can the words “shoot the Boer” have within this context?

Let us learn a lesson from the recent events in the USA where an individual shot congress woman Gabrielle Giffords because he took the furious war of words between the Republicans and Democrats literally. Why is it merely accepted that the “shoot the Boer” phrase is not being taken literally by a new generation of young people who had not been part of the ANC “struggle” but had been born after it?

DR. PIETER MULDER
Leader of the FF+ and Deputy Minister of Agriculture
Contact no.: +2782 674 6670 / +2782 472 0189 / +2782 777 0202