NEWS & ANALYSIS

BLF borrowing Brian Molefe's son's Audi while in Cape Town

Roughly 10 members denied access to DM event on Thursday morning after they arrived 20 mins after it started

BLF borrows Brian Molefe's son's Audi

Cape Town – A red Audi, bought by former Eskom boss Brian Molefe for his son, was used by Black First Land First (BLF) supporters while in Cape Town, spokesperson Zanele Lwana confirmed to News24 on Thursday.

Daily Maverick reported that five BLF members left a media gathering at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC) on Thursday in the red Audi.

"BLF members have been using the vehicle given to Itumeleng Molefe while he was not in Cape Town," Lwana said. Itumeleng Molefe is a student at the University of Cape Town.

"Why does it matter? Why are you asking me these questions? Would someone ask you whose car you are using when you go to an event," a frustrated Lwana asked.

On his Facebook page, Itumeleng can be seen wearing a black BLF T-shirt. In a second photo, he can be seen having a drink with BLF spokesperson Lindsay Maasdorp.

Neither Brian Molefe or his son responded to a request for comment from News24.

Lwana said the real issue was why BLF supporters were denied access to a "public event" when they had tickets. Ticket prices for the Daily Maverick media gathering started at R1 800.

Roughly 10 BLF members were denied access to the event on Thursday morning after they arrived 20 minutes after it started.

"We are here to engage in a civil manner with Daily Maverick and amaBhungane, who are lying, and generating fake news," claimed BLF leader Andile Mngxitama.

He also said the media were making up claims about the party being funded by the Guptas.

"Where is the evidence? The emails is not evidence," he continued, and dismissed the legitimacy of the #GuptaLeaks.

Lwana said BLF members had especially flown down from Johannesburg to attend the Daily Maverick event.

It remains unclear who covered their airfares.

The South African National Editors Forum (Sanef), amaBhungane managing partner Sam Sole and HuffPost SA editor-at-large Ferial Haffajee on Tuesday launched an urgent application in the High Court in Pretoria to convict Mngxitama for contempt of court, following repeated attempts at disrupting events.

BLF and its leaders were interdicted by the High Court in Johannesburg on July 7 from intimidating and assaulting journalists, and going to journalists' homes.

News24