Congress of South African Trade Union’s president S’dumo Dlamini has defied the ban on the liberation-era struggle song Dubul’ ibhunu, “Shoot the boer” according to a report on Tuesday.
The Dispatch Online reported that Dlamini lead hundreds of shop stewards in East London in a lively rendition of the song, saying that the ban meant nothing to those who had sacrificed their lives for the country’s liberation.
Judge Colin Lamont last week found African National Congress Youth League leader Julius Malema guilty of hate speech for singing the song.
‘Clueless judge’
Addressing Cosatu’s second provincial shop stewards council meeting, Dlamini urged the workers to ignore the “clueless judge” and continue singing the song at their gatherings.
In his judgment, Lamont said there was no justification for the song to be sung, adding that it unlawfully singled out white Afrikaners and farmers as the subject of hate.
On Monday, the African National Congress said it would appeal against the interdict.
“The NEC [national executive committee] re-affirmed its commitment to protect its heritage by appealing the court decision that bans our struggle song Ayesaba amagwala [the cowards are scared],” Mantashe told reporters in Johannesburg.
The lyrics of the song include the words, ‘aw dubul’ibhunu [shoot the boer] amagwala [the cowards] dubula dubula [shoot shoot]”. – Sapa