BLF visits Zuma at his Durban home to ‘thank him for RET’

Black First Land First (BLF), a party fighting to retain its place on this year’s ballot after being dragged to the Electoral Court by Freedom Front Plus, on Sunday paid a visit to former president Jacob Zuma at his Durban home to thank him for what they described as “radical economic transformation (RET)”.

Party leader Andile Mngxitama has long been a staunch Zuma defender.

The Freedom Front Plus is arguing in court that the BLF should not be allowed to contest elections because it explicitly forbids white people from joining its ranks, which its critics claim is discriminatory and racist. However, constitutional law expert professor Pierre de Vos has written that due to the current wording of South African law, the BLF is unlikely to face sanction for this, though the decision remains in the balance.

Argument will be heard on Thursday morning in the High Court in Johannesburg.

Zuma himself has not tweeted about the BLF’s visit, though he did share photos on Sunday of himself floating in a swimming pool.

Mngxitama confirmed that Zuma hosted their entire delegation at his home, including giving them dinner.

Picture: Supplied

Last year, outside court in Pietermaritzburg, following his appearance on one count of racketeering, two counts of corruption, one of money laundering and 12 of fraud relating to his involvement in the controversial arms deal in the 1990s, Zuma at one point said: “I heard one man say they will vote for [BLF leader] Mngxitama. Mngxitama is okay, he has no problems; he is right, but not for the reasons you are stating. This is a clear political line, you can’t not vote and let people vote for the wrong party. Vote for this man [Mngxitama] because he wants issues to be resolved speedily.”

ALSO READ: What Zuma really meant when he said ‘vote for Mngxitama’

He has done the same for Zuma’s son Duduzane, whose culpable homicide case was indirectly revived last year by AfriForum’s private prosecutions unit threatening to prosecute Zuma Jr if the state did not.

BLF leader Andile Mngxitama of the BLF hands over a Zulu shield as a gift to former president Jacob Zuma at his Durban home in KwaZulu-Natal. Picture: Supplied

The former president said last year that unity among black South Africans was the key to solving their problems.

“Our disunity, fights among ourselves, is a disease that keeps us in perpetual poverty,” Zuma said, sharing the stage with Mngxitama.

The BLF credits Zuma with pro-black economic policy choices, including the announcement of free higher education at the end of 2017.

The BLF’s leader Andile Mngxitama, Jacob Zuma and Zanele Lwana, BLF deputy leader. Picture: Supplied

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