SA Government Condemns Hate Speech Linked to X Account “Boer”

The South African government has condemned the circulation of hate speech and misinformation allegedly spread by a controversial social media user identified in media reports as Sebastiaan Jooste.

Jooste, a 46-year-old former farmer, has been linked to the X (formerly Twitter) account known as “Boer” (@twatterbaas), which has come under fire for sharing racist content and false narratives — including baseless claims about farm murders occurring at genocidal levels.

The process of identifying Sebastiaan Jooste as the owner of the “Boer” @twatterbaas account followed tried-and-tested open-source investigation techniques but relied extensively on biographical and geographical information he posted himself.https://t.co/NqWIri1yfJ

— News24 ?? (@News24) April 29, 2025

In a statement issued on Wednesday, the government said it was alarmed by the allegations and confirmed that law enforcement agencies are currently probing the matter.

“Appreciating that law enforcement agencies are continuing to investigate incidences of misinformation, the Government strongly condemns deliberate acts of misinformation and promotion of racial hatred,” the statement read.

While reaffirming South Africa’s commitment to upholding freedom of expression, the government stressed that such rights do not extend to hate speech or the deliberate distortion of facts.

“South Africa is the first country to protect freedom of expression as a constitutional right, but this does not offer protection for hate speech or deliberate misinformation. Law enforcement will not hesitate to act against those who violate the laws of the country regardless of their colour and creed,” the statement continued.

In response to the specific allegation that farm murders amount to genocide, the government pointed to official SAPS data from the third quarter of the 2024/25 financial year, which showed only one white farmer was murdered during that period.

“While every murder is one too many, claims of increased scale of farm murders is a lie. Law enforcement agencies are actually winning the fight against farm murders,” the statement said.

The government reiterated its responsibility to safeguard all citizens, including those in rural and farming communities. It also urged South Africans to act responsibly on social media, cautioning that spreading hate speech or false information is a criminal offence.

Follow Joburg ETC on Facebook, Twitter , TikTok and Instagram

For more News in Johannesburg, visit joburgetc.com

Sourced:African Insider