Chris van Heerden is a South African boxer who lives and trains in California. He is a former IBO welterweight champion and has a record of 29 wins, 2 losses, and 1 draw. He is also the son of Daniel Christoffel van Heerden, a farmer who was murdered in 2018.
On August 7, 2023, Chris van Heerden posted a tweet that linked his father’s killer to the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), a radical political party in South Africa. He claimed that the killer was a supporter of the EFF and was following the instructions of the party’s leader, Julius Malema, who had sung the controversial song Kill The Boer at a rally.
He wrote: “Here you will see a supporter of the EFF (dressed in red) doing exactly what his leader J Malema is encouraging Kill The Boer. The man he killed in this video is MY FATHER.”
He attached a video of the incident that happened on December 27, 2018, in Meyerton, Gauteng. The video showed his father arguing with a security guard named Sabelo Dlamini, who was wearing a red uniform. As his father walked away, Dlamini shot him in the back with a rifle. His father died on the scene.
Backlash and criticism from EFF and Twitter users
Chris van Heerden’s tweet sparked a backlash and criticism from the EFF and many Twitter users. They accused him of spreading misinformation and propaganda. They said that Dlamini was not an EFF supporter, but a security guard who worked for Red Ants Security, a company that wears red uniforms. They also said that the incident had nothing to do with Malema or the song Kill The Boer.
They wrote:
@Am_Blujay: “Linking EFF to Sabelo Dlamini because he is wearing red is propaganda, and you are manipulating people to feel sympathy for you while you spread misinformation. That man works for Red Ants Security and he is wearing his uniform”
@CameronPetersSA: “Lying about us isn’t gonna help your case. So a security guard is now a so-called EFF member because he is wearing red in an old video that you now claim is somehow linked to our 10th anniversary, which happened a week ago?”
@LesibaNgwato: “Why are you spreading misinformation? Julius had nothing to do with this matter. Tell people the truth and stop manufacturing panic.”
@VeryTiredAngry: “Liar. 1. Not an EFF member. 2. Happened five years ago. 3. Nothing to do with the song.”
Justice and forgiveness for Daniel van Heerden
According to news reports, Sabelo Dlamini was sentenced to ten years in prison for the murder of Daniel van Heerden in January 2023. The trial lasted almost five years and was delayed by several factors, such as Covid-19 lockdowns, witness statements, and forensic evidence.
Chris van Heerden said that he had forgiven Dlamini for killing his father, but he blamed Malema for brainwashing him with his hateful rhetoric. He said that Malema should be held accountable for inciting violence and hatred against white farmers in South Africa.
He said: “I lost my father by a man shooting and killing my dad in his back, [who supports] the EFF. Now I forgave this man that killed my father. I forgave him because I call it brainwashing. He is looking at his leader singing these songs, and nothing is happening to him.”