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A white man who was unimpressed with the Economic Freedom Fighters’ election song, Uphephela, took to YouTube to explain why the song was apparently a problem.
His video has been circulating on social media.
According to the man, Uphephela is a Zulu word for “be safe”, adding that EFF leader Julius Malema uses the song to “indoctrinate” university students.
He claims: “Malema is using this song which has got his name and party tied to it to try and indoctrinate these people who are going through university and people coming out of school.
“I’ve never heard of ‘youfefela’ before but I’ve heard a familiar kind of song but it sounds the same.
“Now I’ve got it all knuckled down. There are only two lines in the song, it’s a very short song and both lines are repeated.
“Tell Malema that Sasco is safeguarding us. We will not buy medicines to kill dogs.
“Do you know EFF from below you’re breathing, we will not buy medicines and kill the dogs. (the ‘dogs’ are white people)
“It’s clearly trying to get the young generation to follow the EFF, the ANC is so broken, so disoriented.”
One other problem with the song, according to the man, was that it was only sung by black people.
Watch his video below:
The man has been highly criticised on social media by those who said he got the meaning of the song wrong.
EFF MP Hlengiwe Mkhaliphi told the man to get IsiZulu lessons and stop “distorting” the message.
“We are prepared to assist this confused, white, scared man. Stop distortion. Take Isizulu lesson. Give us our land back. You will be fine,” she said.
Gauteng EFF chairperson Mandisa Mashego slammed the white man, and other white people who called themselves South Africans but never took time to learn the country’s languages.
“Why must I subject myself to translating the song to a so-called South African?” she asked.
“They insult and humiliate our culture, beliefs and our ways. They insult our music,” she added.
She criticised the man’s “condescending” and “racist” behaviour for posting his “ignorant” translation of a song in a language spoken in a South Africa he claimed to be part of.
However, those who explained the song on social media said it was an EFF student command song about Sasco, which is a competing student organisation,
“They refer to them as dogs but more like you would call a competing rugby team dogs just to weaken them,” explained Babazi on YouTube.
“Uphephela is referred to [a] helicopter that comes from the ground and rises up high,” explained another social media user.
It said nothing about killing whites, they added.
The song has been trending on social media, with South Africans saying it is the song of the year.
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