In a brief but heated back-and-forth debate on the social media platform on Monday evening, Musk condemned Malema for chanting the struggle song 'Kill the boer' during EFF's 10th anniversary rally at the FNB Stadium in Johannesburg this past Saturday.

In a post on X, Musk bashed Malema for "openly pushing for the genocide of white people in South Africa" and also questioned President Cyril Ramaphosa's silence on the matter.

Addressing the outrage against the EFF and Malema, the party shared a statement published in August 2022 following a High Court ruling that dismissed a case by civil rights organisation AfriForum, which argued that Malema was guilty of inciting violence and hate speech by singing the controversial song.

In 2020, AfriForum lodged a complaint against Malema at the Equality Court to have the song declared hate speech and unfair discrimination however.

After the ruling, the EFF statement read, "In a landmark judgment, the court ruled today that AfriForum failed to show that the song's lyrics contravene the Equality Act or demonstrate a clear intention to harm or incitement, furthermore the court ruled that the song must be protected under the rubric of free speech, and debate around the song must be left to political contestation within society.

AfriForum has since appealed the ruling and its case will be heard in the Supreme Court of Appeal in September, but others have come to Malema's defence, with various X users lambasting Musk for condemning the singing of a struggle song with EFF head of international relations Godrich Gardee accusing Musk of attempting to twist history.

While DA leader John Steenhuisen said that the party would be opening charges against Malema for inciting violence and civil war, Freedom Front Plus leader Pieter Groenewald has opened a criminal case against Malema on Monday the 31st of July 2023.