BLF’s anti-white rhetoric condemned

13 December 2018

The Ahmed Kathrada Foundation has noted and supports the strong public condemnation of the violent anti-white rhetoric expressed by Black First Land First’s (BLF) Andile Mngxitama.

Mngxitama was speaking at a rally, when in reference to white people, he threatened, “You kill one of us, we will kill five of you. We will kill their children, we will kill their women, we will kill anything that we find on our way.”

The Foundation’s Executive Director, Neeshan Balton, said that Mngxitama’s assertions were “inciteful and in our view, amount to hate speech”.

“His speech was peppered with ‘war-talk’, with reference to ‘soldiers’, ‘swords’ and ‘enemies’. It served to simply stoke up the anger of people, and can potentially unleash violence against white South Africans,” he said.

“In a democratic dispensation, we have a Constitution that is very clear about the rights of all people, irrespective of colour. We should not be allowing the likes of Mngxitama to stir up racialised hatred under the guise of appearing to be revolutionary. We should be asking what Mngxitama’s true motives are, when instead of deliberating on the very real issues affecting the majority of South Africans and finding plausible solutions, he instead uses public platforms to talk about going on a rampage and killing white children.”

Balton highlighted the fact that Mngxitama’s statements come shortly after a female lawyer was physically assaulted by people wearing BLF t-shirts at the Johannesburg High Court. “We’re seeing a dangerous trend with regards to attacks on people by BLF supporters. Previously, there was the attack on journalist Tim Cohen, then there’s the recent incident of the lawyer who was assaulted within the Court precinct. This weekend, Mngxitama reiterated this message with his inflammatory speech. History has shown us how genocides occur and the type of narratives that precede them. We should be carefully evaluating Mngxitama’s racialised language and its possible consequences.”

Balton commended various political parties and civil society formations for denouncing Mngxitama’s views, laying charges against him and referring the matter to the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC).

“We also applaud all who voiced their opposition to Mngxitama’s racism via social media and other platforms, as well as those who lodged complaints with Twitter, resulting in the closure of Mngxitama’s account after he had posted the inflammatory comments.”

He also noted the Independent Electoral Commission’s (IEC) tweet indicating that it will look into the “serious allegations” against the BLF. “It is essential for the IEC to probe whether any electoral codes have been violated. We need to guard against groups who want to contest elections on tickets that are racist or anti-democratic.”

Balton continued, “Today, the BLF is castigating white people. Which group of South Africans will be labelled the ‘enemy’ next – Coloured people, Jews, ZCC followers, Indians or Tsonga speaking people?

“We can ill-afford any more violence in our society. Killing and looting fueled by racial hatred, tribalism or xenophobia won’t transform this country or our economy. The sooner that we realise that we’re all in it together and that solutions must be found jointly in the interest of the poor and the most margnalised, the faster we can build a society that is equal and just.

“We appeal to all sectors of society and leaders to unreservedly condemn the BLF’s anti-white threats and to double our efforts to work towards a truly just and non-racial society.”

Issued by Zaakirah Vadi, Communications Officer, Ahmed Kathrada Foundation, 13 December 2018