Mbalula criticises BLF for breaching High Court order

Police minister Fikile Mbalula has criticised Black First Land First (BLF) after the movement disrupted a town hall meeting arranged by investigative journalism body amaBhungane on Thursday night.

“BLF must win hearts and minds via cogent debate not via disruptions and intimidations. Our hard-won freedom demands it. No person or group should be harassed or intimidated in any way due to the ideas they hold‚” Mbalula said in a statement.

His comments come in the wake of a Johannesburg High Court order interdicting BLF from harassing or intimidating journalists. The interdict was sought a month after the organisation held a demonstration outside the home of journalist and Tiso Blackstar editor-at-large Peter Bruce and assaulted Business Day editor Tim Cohen.

Mbalula referenced this court order in his statement.

“We have noticed that despite the court order being granted some two weeks ago…the BLF is alleged to have engaged in yet another act of harassment and assault of a journalist. We are a country of laws; this government takes the rule of law very serious. The new wave of intimidation‚ intolerance‚ harassment and riotous behaviour we have seen is dangerous to our democracy. We have seen and applauded scenes in parliament where even members of parliament have behaved in this fashion.

“I have previously made it clear that BLF is bound like all of us to conduct its business lawfully without breaking any laws including the Bill of Rights‚ which instructs freedom of speech‚ freedom of association and freedom of the press. I therefore once again condemn the conduct of the BLF as criminal acts not in congress with a free people and a democracy. Police are to regard intimidation and harassment as a crime. Disobedience of court rulings are also unlawful‚ this includes the spirit of such court rulings‚” he said.

But Mbalula was not done.

“I am deeply disheartened to see a group of educated Africans denying others the rights they themselves fought to have in our laws. Police are sensitised that intimidation and harassment are crimes and we need not wait for bloodied face evidence before we threat [sic] victims with due care when they visit our police stations to seek our assistance‚” he said.

However‚ BLF leader Andile Mgnxitama immediately hit back‚ lashing out at Mbalula and placing the blame for Thursday night’s incident at amaBhungane’s door. He claimed that one BLF supporter was assaulted‚ and that a police case had been opened.

“Mbalula must prioritise that and stop issuing meaningless statements. In fact‚ BLF believes amaBhungane organised the disruption to try frame BLF members and get us arrested‚” he said.

In a statement‚ he claimed that‚ among other things‚ the statement released by amaBhungane on Friday was drafted 10 days earlier. It also denied amaBhungane’s claims that a knife was brandished‚ saying it was a “pure lie”.

“BLF will consider opening another criminal case against amaBhungane based on the attempt to frame and defame our movement. The plan to try tarnish the name of our movement was planned weeks before the event of the 27th.

“BLF will be submitting a complaint to the press Ombudsman against amaBhungane for manufacturing fake news. It is clear that the amaBhungane are not investigative journalists; they are a mere bulldog of White Monopoly Capital involved in manufacturing fake news through fabrications and invention of fake evidence‚” he said.