Former Olympic swimmer Roland Schoeman has slammed EFF leader Julius Malema over his political rhetoric after the party suffered a sharp decline in support in the 2026 local government elections.
Schoeman took to X on Saturday, 7 November, accusing Malema of promoting racial division and using inflammatory language.
He pointed to the EFF’s declining electoral support, describing the result as a rejection of Malema’s political message.
“What a humiliating rejection,” Schoeman wrote.
EFF suffers election setbackSchoeman defended his remarks in an interview, saying Malema’s leadership and political statements prompted his criticism.
“My criticism is directed at his leadership, his public statements and the political ideology he represents,” he said.
The former Olympic champion argued that South Africans had grown tired of politicians who relied on racial divisions rather than offering solutions to the country’s problems.
He also defended voters’ right to reject political ideas at the ballot box.
Schoeman refused to withdraw his comments and insisted that his criticism focused on Malema’s political conduct.
However, he also challenged a social media user who directed a racist remark at the EFF leader.
EFF suffers election setback😂 All those years of spewing racial hatred, screaming about killing the Boer and pretending to speak for South Africans, only to scrape together 6%. What a humiliating rejection. Maybe people have finally had enough of your poisonous bullshit. You can shout all you like small… pic.twitter.com/lkVjeYxVo7
— Roland Schoeman (@Rolandschoeman) November 7, 2026
According to election figures reported on Saturday, the party secured approximately 6.26% of the national vote, down from 10.31% in the 2021 municipal elections.
The former swimmer has previously criticised Malema over his use of the controversial ‘Kill the Boer’ chant.
Malema has repeatedly defended the song, insisting that it forms part of South Africa’s liberation struggle and does not call for the literal killing of farmers.
During an EFF rally at Orlando Stadium in Soweto on 31 October, Malema condemned the brutal attack on North West farmer Donovan Marx and called for an end to farm killings.
He later sang the controversial chant.
Schoeman’s latest remarks have again drawn attention to the dispute over Malema’s political rhetoric and the EFF’s declining electoral support.