BLF declares Mkhwebane the most ‘ethical, moral leader of 2019’

Daily Maverick may have declared Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane their “saboteur of the year“, but deregistered political party Black First, Land First (BLF) has released a statement expressing the view that Mkhwebane is in fact “the last warrior standing for the truth against the corrupt corporate bullies of SA”.

The statement, published on the party’s blog Black Opinion, is accompanied by a photoshopped image of Mkhwebane as DC superhero Wonder Woman.

According to the party, the white monopoly capital (WMC) owned media “hates” Mkhwebane and has thrown “virulent insults” against her all year in a bid to “erode” her authority, ahead of the “planned attack on her office” the party believes will take place in 2020.

“The main sin of advocate Mkhwebane was her ruling that ABSA must return the money stolen from the people from the South African Reserve Bank (SARB). Her ruling threatened to expose how the likes of Johann Rupert had benefited from the apartheid bailout money to Bankorp,

“What happened is simple. Towards the end of apartheid, some powerful families and businesses were handed billions of rands from SARB. Those businesses include what is today known as ABSA. The Ruperts also benefitted from the grand theft. Over R26 billion was parcelled out!”

The party claims the “banking oligarchy which controls the economy and the politics of SA was terrified by the ruling of the public protector. For the first time, these powerful figures were called to account for their crimes. Furthermore, the public protector ruled that SARB must stop serving capital and it must put the people first.”

The full statement can be read here.

Perhaps the piece will provide some comfort to Mkhwebane, who lashed out against journalist Ferial Haffajee for her piece declaring the public protector 2019’s biggest saboteur.

READ MORE: BLF mulls whether it should go ‘underground’, with ‘armed struggle’

“Dear [Ferial Haffajee and Daily Maverick], it is very saddening that your publication has resorted to insults and character assassination,” wrote the public protector on Twitter.

She then added a critique of modern journalism as a whole.

“Perhaps this is what ‘new’ journalism has become as you should be the voice in highlighting issues society faces and assist in finding solutions,” her tweet concluded.

She then added in a separate tweet:

“I am immune to your insults and endured them since I assumed office, you at least have to respect your profession and readers at large. I do not blame many people who are no longer take the media serious anymore [sic].”

BLF may support Mkhwebane in the face of her unpopularity in the media and her many legal battles, but the deregistered party, which contested the 2019 elections, failing to gain any parliamentary seats, has problems of its own.

In July, the Electoral Commission of SA announced that it would deregister the party. This after the Freedom Front Plus had lodged a case against the BLF after finding out its constitution only allowed black people to join.

Then in November, the Electoral Court rejected the BLF’s application to appeal its deregistration.

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