BLF calls hate speech ruling against it a ‘victory’, refuses to apologise

The party has been ordered to remove the slogan from its regalia and social media accounts and may face criminal charges, but plans to appeal.

Black First Land First (BLF) leader Andile Mngxitama briefs media at BLF Head Office in Johannesburg, 11 November 2018, on why BLF calls for 5 Whites for every 1 Black life and an announcement of steps to be taken to ensure self defence. Picture: Nigel Sibanda

The Equality Court on Monday found Andile Mngxitama’s party, Black First Land First (BLF), guilty of hate speech.

The party was given a month to remove its political slogan “Land or Death” from its regalia, social media, and website, and also tender a written apology to all South Africans within the same period. The apology will be published on the SAHRC website.

BREAKING: Equality Court makes a finding that the Black First Land First (BLF) political slogan "Land or Death" is hate speech.

— SAHRCommission (@SAHRCommission) May 6, 2019

“The clerk of the Equality Court was directed to send a copy of the judgment to the director of public prosecutions for possible institution of criminal proceedings against the party and its leaders,” said attorney at the SA Human Rights Commission Buang Jones‏ on Twitter following the ruling.

In response, the BLF’s spokesperson Lindsay Maasdorp, however, said they still considered the ruling a victory because they would be remaining on the ballot.

They pointed out that the application to deregister the BLF as a political party had failed.

They added: “BLF will not apologise. We will instead appeal the ruling. This ruling is nonsensical and shows the backwardness of the magistrate courts. The Constitutional Court has ruled on what hate speech is. The magistrate erred in finding our slogan hate speech. Strange enough, the court found ‘one settler one bullet’ to be historical and therefore not hate speech.

“The court ruling is an overall victory for BLF because the application failed to stop BLF from being deregistered with the Independent Electoral Commission and thereby being stopped to participate in the elections. Land thieves failed to stop BLF from being in the elections. This is victory!”

Shortly after the ruling, BLF leader Andile Mngxitama appeared on eNCA wearing a shirt with the ‘Land or Death’ slogan prominently emblazoned on the front.

He reiterated that black people should remain prepared to die for land in South Africa.