BLF plans to appeal against IEC deregistration

Black First Land First (BLF) plans to appeal against its deregistration as a political party in the Constitutional Court.

LISTEN | BLF vs FF+ a battle of political will

"This is not apartheid, we have the right to organise on the basis of our blackness and oppression," the BLF tweeted on Monday.

The Electoral Commission (IEC) announced in a statement on Monday it was deregistering BLF as a political party. This comes after the Freedom Front Plus (FF+) appealed against the BLF's registration because it excluded membership based on race.

The IEC defended its decision to approve the BLF’s registration in 2016 as it said the BLF’s constitution did not expressly exclude white people from membership.

But the IEC deregistered the party after BLF leader Andile Mngxitama admitted to the Electoral Court that the party’s constitution excluded white people from joining based on their race.

FF+ leader Pieter Groenewald was satisfied with the victory.

"The FF Plus has been fighting for law and order in this case since January. It is unacceptable that the IEC violated the act by registering the BLF in the first place. Legislation may not be seen as mere guidelines, it must be complied with. No one is above the law," he said.

Meanwhile, security stopped the BLF from attending the state capture inquiry on Monday in Parktown, Johannesburg, allegedly for wearing party regalia.

Members wanted to attend proceedings to support former president Jacob Zuma who is testifying at the inquiry. Mgxitama accused the commission of being an "attack against black people".

"Where is white corruption? They are only using this commission to settle political scores against those who believe in radical economic transformation, specifically black people." 

- Additional reporting by Andisiwe Makinana