JOHANNESBURG – Julius Malema, the South African politician whom President Trump wants arrested for repeatedly chanting “kill the farmer,” is known for a luxurious lifestyle that seems at odds with his championing of the poor. He is often seen in expensive clothing and reportedly lives in a mansion on one of South Africa’s wealthiest streets.

Malema has also expressed support for arming Hamas and faces accusations of stealing millions from pensioners, the very people he seeks to represent.

During a recent Oval Office visit, Trump confronted South African President Cyril Ramaphosa with a video of Malema chanting “Shoot to kill, Kill the Boer (the Afrikaner), kill the farmer.” Malema and Ramaphosa are neighbors in Johannesburg.

Trump has offered refuge in the U.S. to Afrikaner farmers, descendants of mostly Dutch settlers, citing disputed claims of White genocide and forced land seizures.

Malema, the self-proclaimed commander in chief of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) Party and a Marxist-Leninist, previously led the Youth League of the African National Congress (ANC) before being ousted for criticizing the party’s leadership.

In the past, the EFF’s vote share has fallen below 10%, and key figures within the party have defected to rival organizations.

Following Trump’s confrontation with Ramaphosa, Malema reiterated the “Kill the farmer” chant at a rally, which some believe was done to provoke Trump.

In 2022, South Africa’s Constitutional Court, the equivalent of the U.S. Supreme Court, determined that the chant is not hate speech, classifying it as a song. Malema is a member of the Judicial Services Commission, which appoints judges to the Court.

Critics suggest that the chant holds deeper meaning for Malema. He has stated on multiple occasions that he is not calling for the killing of White people “at least for now,” and has also declared, “We will cut the throat of Whiteness.”

Some observers believe Malema employs a strategy of seeking publicity, regardless of its nature, while others see his actions as attention-seeking behavior with little real impact.

Analyst J. Brooks Spector told Digital that Malema “has crafted a political reputation as the ‘bad boy’ of South African politics.”

Spector, a former U.S. diplomat and associate editor of the Daily Maverick, added that Malema’s populism initially gained traction due to high unemployment and widespread poverty, but his popularity has since waned.

Malema openly supports Hamas, stating at a 2023 rally that oppressed people have the right to “shoot to kill.” He also expressed his intention to shut down the Israeli Embassy in South Africa, which was met with cheers.

Malema and his former associate, Floyd Shivambu, have been implicated in alleged corrupt dealings with the now-collapsed VBS bank, which resulted in significant losses for pensioners.

According to the Opposition Democratic Alliance’s (DA) Baxolile Nodada, “In 2018, the VBS scandal exposed widespread looting by bank officials and politicians, including senior leaders of the EFF, Floyd Shivambu and Julius Malema.”

The DA’s Willie Aucamp stated that the party is committed to pursuing justice for the victims of the VBS scandal, in which over R2 billion ($111 million) was stolen from pensioners and struggling communities. The DA has been pushing for the arrest and prosecution of all those involved, including Malema.

Speaking in Cape Town in July of the previous year, Malema denied receiving any money from VBS.

Max Meizlish, a senior research analyst at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, suggests that Trump might respond strongly to Malema’s links to Hamas and the VBS scandal now that Malema is on his radar.

Meizlish stated that Malema should be cautious about provoking Trump, particularly given his alleged involvement in the VBS scandal and his support for arming Hamas. He added that Malema could face sanctions under the Global Magnitsky Act.