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Mngxitama doubles down, tells journalists: ‘We are ready to kill’
The controversial BLF leader says his party has plans to take the land violently, and are inspired by the Black Panthers.
Black Land First (BLF) members led by Andile Mngxitama and Zanele Lwaini protest, ultimately pointlessly, outside MiWay Insurance headquarters following a fake email scandal on July 21, 2017 in Centurion, South Africa. Picture: Gallo Images
Black First Land First (BLF) leader Andile Mngxitama held a press conference on Tuesday following the backlash to comments he made at a rally in which he called for five white people to be killed for every black person and that white people should be killed along with their pets and children.
Mngxitama took the presser as an opportunity to double down on his incendiary rhetoric, rather than tone it down.
Among many other utter utterances, the BLF leader said he and his party was now ready to kill for land.
He said they had plans to expropriate certain farms, but would not reveal which ones.
The controversial activist turned politician said that while he was not starting a militia, he was training his members in self-defence, due to the threats that had been received against them.
READ MORE: Mngxitama raises ire after call to kill whites along with their dogs and cats
He said his party could not take the blame for anyone who acted on their statements against white people, and could only be held responsible for acts of violence carried out by members of the organisation themselves.
Mngxitama threatened a white journalist at the presser, News24 assistant journalist Pieter Du Toit, saying there would be “consequences” if he “disrespected” the party after being asked a question about white militias.
According to the BLF leader, his party is inspired by the Black Panthers, a militant group started in the US in the 1960s who said they were training themselves in self-defence as a response to police brutality and racist forces in the country.
He took the opportunity to “subtweet” EFF leader Julius Malema after revelations that the BLF is too broke to pay its legal fees.
“I may be broke, but at least I don’t get money from cigarette smugglers,” he said, in reference to Adriano Mazzotti, who paid the EFF’s registration fee in 2014, among other things.
#Mngxitama says #BLF is ready to kill for land. @TheCitizen_News
— Simnikiwe H (@onlynikki89) December 11, 2018
#Mngxitama says white people will use them to stir right wing fears and empower Afriforum #BLF @TheCitizen_News
— Simnikiwe H (@onlynikki89) December 11, 2018
#Mngxitama says #BLF will support Radical Economic and denounce the accepted national minimum wage Transformation if it gets to parliament @TheCitizen_News
— Simnikiwe H (@onlynikki89) December 11, 2018
#Mngxitama says he won't reveal which farms #BLF plans to 'expropriate' @TheCitizen_News
— Simnikiwe H (@onlynikki89) December 11, 2018
#Mngxitama says #BLF will not take responsibility for people acting on his statements against white people. Says #BLF will take responsibility for its own violence @TheCitizen_News
— Simnikiwe H (@onlynikki89) December 11, 2018
#Mngxitama says #BLF is NOT starting a militia, it is merely training its members for self defense given the threats against them @TheCitizen_News
— Simnikiwe H (@onlynikki89) December 11, 2018
#Mngxitama says #BLF is inspired by American resistance group The Black Panthers @TheCitizen_News
— Simnikiwe H (@onlynikki89) December 11, 2018
#Mngxitama subtweets Malema says heay be broke but at least he's not getting money from cigarette smugglers @TheCitizen_News
— Simnikiwe H (@onlynikki89) December 11, 2018
#Mngxitama warns a white journalist there will be 'consequences' if he 'disrespects' #BLF after being questioned about white militias
— Simnikiwe H (@onlynikki89) December 11, 2018
A video clip exposing Mngxitama racialised threats renewed calls for him to prosecuted for hate speech on Monday.
Mngxitama had been speaking at a party event in Potchefstroom on Saturday.
However, he said on Sunday that he had been speaking in the context of “self-defence” and was being misunderstood and taken out of that supposed context.
(Compiled by Daniel Friedman. Additional reporting by Simnikiwe Hlatshaneni and Charles Cilliers)
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