Malema responds to Gary Player: ‘He must sleep nonstop’

Gary Player

Cape Town – Golf legend Gary Player has come under fire from several politicians after calling for the abolition of Black Economic Empowerment (BEE), with critics slamming him as an “apartheid beneficiary”.

On his 90th birthday celebration at Sun City over the weekend, Player issued a sharp public challenge to South Africa’s current economic transformation laws, triggering a swift reaction from Julius Malema and igniting renewed debate around race, legacy and investment.

According to The South African, speaking at a press briefing during the festivities, Player told reporters: “Introducing a bill, no compensation… I brought back hundreds of millions of Rands to South Africa. I bought farms and property. They could come in and take it. That means they’re stealing it.”

He added, “We’ve got to get rid of that law… We’ve got to get rid of this BEE system.”

In response, Malema, leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), took aim at the birthday remarks via social media.

On his X account he posted: “He must sleep nonstop.”

According to TimeLive, Malema’s reaction came after Player had praised the legacy of Nelson Mandela, stating: “How many people would go to jail even for two years and not have hatred? He did it for 20 or more years, and I never heard him say one nasty thing about anybody.”

“He also suggested that Malema, exercising a different style, could reach the presidency: “If he had Mandela’s approach to politics, he would be president of this country, no question about it.”

Player, who divides his time between the US and South Africa, criticised existing laws, saying they discourage investment.

“People are not prepared to come here and invest money. We’ve got to have systems like the rest of the world,” he said.

The GOOD party also released a statement titled “Gary Should Stick to Golf,” arguing that Player should refrain from expressing political views.

The statement noted that, despite previously claiming to oppose apartheid, he had allegedly become a vocal critic of the anti-apartheid campaign that sought to isolate South Africa economically.

“To hear him parroting DA/AfriForum/Donald Trump speaking notes about the instruments of post-apartheid redress to assembled media over the weekend, while taking a break during his birthday golf day, once again diminishes him from unadulterated sporting icon to representative of South African whiteness,” said GOOD.

The party added that, apart from a small group of wealthy, well-connected elites, it is largely South Africa’s white population that has benefited most from the country’s transition to democracy. They continue to hold a significant share of the nation’s wealth and land, reside in prime areas, and occupy a disproportionate number of senior positions.

“Mr Player is entitled to his views on land expropriation and Black Economic Empowerment (BEE).

“One would have hoped, however, that he’d be worldly enough to grasp that it is not the policies meant to narrow inequality, but the extent of inequality itself, that poses the greatest threats to the privileged few.

“Criticism of the State’s implementation of land reform and BEE policies is warranted. But opposing the need for transformative policies is something else: it undermines the central pillars of equal rights, equal justice, and equal opportunity in the Constitution.

“These rights protect all South Africans, including Mr Player, whereas the white victim narrative corrodes them,” concluded GOOD.

Follow African Insider on Facebook, X and Instagram

Picture: X/@garyplayer

For more African news, visit Africaninsider.com

Compiled by Lisabeal Nqamqhele and Anda Tolibadi

Article written by