No trust in white judge – BLF
BLACK First Land First (BLF) said yesterday that its fate was in the hands of a white judge whom it did not trust.
“At 12 o’clock tomorrow, a white judge, who like all white people, comes from a framework of thinking which puts whiteness first. We don’t have any trust in any white person,” leader Andile Mngxitama said while addressing the media outside the high court in Johannesburg.
The court had earlier heard an urgent application by the SA National Editors’ Forum (Sanef) and several journalists to interdict BLF from harassing, intimidating, assaulting and threatening journalists, especially those reporting on state capture.
Mngxitama went on to lash out at various media houses, including Naspers, as well as former finance minister Pravin Gordan, referring to him a “house negro”.
Earlier, Judge Corrie van der Westhuizen said he was satisfied with the application that was brought forward by Sanef and that the matter had to be heard with urgency.
Judgment on the matter was expected today.
During proceedings, Tembeka Ngcukaitobi, for Sanef, requested that Judge Van der Westhuizen make an order interdicting BLF from intimidating journalists, that BLF retract all threatening statements made on social media, and pay the court costs.
BLF members were heard laughing when he made the request.
Commenting on the matter, Sanef chairperson Mahlatse Gallens said: “We are appreciative of today and are expecting the judge to rule on the merits of the case.
“We are here because we want to uphold the law. What we have seen is harassment of our journalists and basically trying to silence them from doing the work that is protected by the constitution of this country.”
Gallens added that there was nothing wrong with protesting as it was part of the country’s democracy and was also allowed by law.
“If you want to protest, you must go to the police and ask for permission, but going to people’s houses and assaulting journalists is a criminal offence,” she said in response to Mngxitama saying the BLF would continue protesting.
“What we want the BLF and the court to do is say that their protests cannot be violent.”
BLF members were heard laughing when he made the request