Cape Town – The assassination of Charlie Kirk, the 31-year-old right-wing American activist and co-founder of Turning Point USA, has sparked strong and mixed reactions in South Africa, ranging from condemnation of political violence to reflections on gun culture in the United States.
Kirk was shot dead on 10 September 2025 during a speaking engagement at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah.
The killing has drawn global attention, with authorities in the United States confirming that a federal investigation is under way to track down the shooter.
According to IOL, activist Pieter Kriel acknowledged that while he “never respected his ideas,” he recognised that Kirk was a human being, father, and husband. He described some of Kirk’s past statements — such as defending the use of guns and remarks on LGBTQ+ issues—as “vile” and “dehumanising,” yet emphasised that Kirk did not deserve to be assassinated.
South African journalist Redi Tlhabi was among those who pointed out Kirk’s long-standing defence of widespread gun ownership in the US. She remarked, “He believed gun-related deaths were acceptable and a small price to pay for gun ownerships.
His position was that some would be shot and killed, and it’s a small price to pay. I imagine he is proud now.” Her comments underscored the irony many felt — that Kirk had supported policies that may have contributed to the environment in which he was ultimately killed.
Wreath laying at the US Embassy in Pretoria, South Africa, to express our sorrow at the passing of Charlie Kirk. pic.twitter.com/zBciQJW4w8
— Ernst Roets (@ErnstRoets) September 11, 2025
The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) also weighed in on the matter. the party highlighted the killing as part of a broader pattern of systemic gun violence in the United States.
The EFF noted that in 2023 alone, the US recorded 46,728 firearm-related deaths, and in 2024, 83 school shootings resulted in 38 deaths and 115 injuries.
The party remarked that Kirk’s assassination could not be separated from America’s “deeply entrenched gun culture” and the policies he himself had supported.
The EFF Concerned by Escalation of Gun Violence in the United States Ahead of 2026 FIFA World Cup
-This crisis, however, carries global implications. The United States is set to host the 2026 FIFA World Cup; a tournament meant to unite nations and celebrate humanity through… pic.twitter.com/vgs3aesdCK
— Economic Freedom Fighters (@EFFSouthAfrica) September 11, 2025
EFF Youth Command convener Sihle Lonzi reacted by saying, “Bad things are happening in the United States of America,”
Terrible things are happening in America.
— Sihle Lonzi (@SihleLonzi) September 10, 2025
Professor Mark van Staden of the University of Johannesburg said: “Charlie Kirk used our pain, our history, and our challenges to create fear in a country he barely understood. His lies about white genocide were not just inaccurate — they were dangerous,” reported The Star.
Activist Mukhethwa Dzhugudzha argued that Kirk’s rhetoric resembled apartheid-era thinking, saying: “Charlie Kirk and Verwoerd are the same brand of poison. They held the same views and beliefs. Both built their careers on white supremacy and Christian nationalism,” reported IOL.
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Compiled by Lisabeal Nqamqhele
