IEC must take action against racist BLF in accordance with the law
The political party Black First Land First (BLF) has made it very clear that it is racially orientated as it only allows black people to join. The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) must, therefore, take action against the BLF in accordance with the relevant legislation and deny the party the opportunity to participate in the upcoming general elections.
The FF Plus has requested the IEC, once during the Commission's national political party liaison meeting which was held on the 17th of January 2019, and now again in a formal letter to cancel the BLF's registration as a political party in accordance with Section 16 (1) (c) (ii) of the Electoral Commission Act.
The Act determines that no registered political party may deny any person membership to the party based on race, ethnicity and colour.
However, on the BLF's official website (https://blf.org.za/blf-constitution/) it clearly states that only black people may join the party. The party also frequently makes the news due to its leadership's controversial racist statements that are generally aimed at white people.
The most recent incident occurred after a tragic accident at Hoërskool Driehoek in Vanderbijl Park where four white children were killed when a walkway at the school collapsed. The public, political parties and other organisations have since lodged numerous complaints against the BLF with, among others, the HRC and the Equality Court.
The FF Plus's letter to the IEC states, among other things, that in accordance with the relevant legislation, the IEC has the responsibility, jurisdiction and obligation to cancel the BLF's registration as a political party.
Seeing as the general elections will probably be held within the next three months and chances are good that the BLF's campaign will simply become increasingly racist to the detriment of racial relations in South Africa, the FF Plus is calling on the IEC to take action as soon as possible.
It is unfathomable why the IEC would allow a tainted organisation with a blatant and self-confessed racist orientation to register as a political party in the first place.
Racial relations in South Africa are already volatile as it is and the country cannot afford to have a party throw lit matches on the dry grass of racial tension, particularly during this tense pre-election time.
Relevant section of the BLF constitution:
Section 4: MEMBERSHIP
Membership
- Any black person who has reached the age of eighteen; accepts the politics, ideological perspective and Constitution of the BLF; joins a branch of the organization and is prepared to work actively in it as part of the branch collective; is committed to honoring the organization’s resolutions and decisions; accepts the organization’s policy perspectives; commits herself/himself to being a disciplined member, and; is willing to pay the necessary membership fees may become a member of BLF.
- Blacks are those people who are by law and tradition politically, economically and socially discriminated against as a group and who see themselves as a unit in the struggle for liberation from white supremacy. In terms of this definition, the black people in South Africa are (as indicated by Steve Biko) those that come from the African communities, the so-called Coloured communities and so-called Indian communities.
Statement issued by Wouter Wessels, FF Plus Member of Parliament, 6 February 2019
