Statement on malicious, manufactured controversy around news editor Daniel Friedman

The contents of that video have been falsely and maliciously linked to farm murders and Friedman has been accused of mocking the suffering of those affected by these crimes. He has since been subjected to death threats and vile racist and anti-Semitic messages.

The facts are that the song was first written and performed in 2013 and was a satirical view of the then common white fears that there would be a “white genocide” after the death of Nelson Mandela. Friedman made the video as a comedian and to satirise those white fears – which in the end turned out to be unjustified. Nothing in the video relates to farm murders. Claims to the contrary are false.

The Citizen prides itself in being an organisation which does not take sides and which delivers credible, unbiased news, both in print and online. Despite our independent and neutral approach, it is incumbent on us to condemn, in the strongest terms, the attempts to create a false ultra-right wing narrative that is calculated to engender discord and “fake” controversy.

We should also like to point out that the video was made in his personal capacity.

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