BLF’s Andile Mngxitama Reemerges As MK Party MP, SA Has Say As Old ‘Hate Speech’ Clip Surfaces

• Former Black First Land First (BLF) leader Andile Mngxitama has been caught in a social media windstorm
• After his swearing-in as an MK Party Member of Parliament (MP), an old alleged hate-speech clip of Mngxitama emerged
• Netizens followed the trail to the comments to respond to the colourful development with an array of mixed views

JOHANNESBURG — The appointment of former Black First Land First (BLF) president Andile Mngxitama as an MK Party Member of Parliament (MP) has been a huge talking point.

It comes after the MK Party recently swore in 58 MPs in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN).

Mngxitama in centre of hate-speech row

The occasion, however, was not without its share of drama as an apparently old video of Mngxitama resurfaced online.

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In it, the former Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) Member of the National Assembly is heard engaging in an alleged hate speech rant.

“We’ll kill the children, we’ll kill the women, we’ll kill anything we find [in] our way,” Mngxitama said in part.

The material has since been doing the rounds on social media after resurfacing. According to TimesLIVE, the video was taken at a BLF event in Potchefstroom in 2019.

Petition calls for Mngxitama's removal

The publication further reported that Mngxitama, at the time, had said he was reacting to businessman Johann Rupert's remarks about having an army in the taxi industry in case “those red guys come”, presumably referring to the EFF.

Hours after being sworn in, a petition was launched calling for his immediate removal from Parliament, akin to Democratic Alliance (DA) MP Renaldo Gouws, who was suspended in the wake of a years-old racist video.

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Gouws is set to appear before the party’s Federal Legal Commission (FLC) to answer for his actions.

Meanwhile, the petition calling for Mngxitama’s removal has won over 4,200 signatures.

Netizens react to alleged hate speech clip

Online, South Africans invested in the drama had a lot to say, with an array of polarising views greeting the development.

Briefly News brings readers some reactions.

@KingBushula wrote:

"SAHRC has long ruled on that video case."

@BlackCock2022 said:

"Old video the court dismissed as hate speech after AfriForum took him to court. Find something else."

@motau_sila50065 mentioned:

"He must not go to Parliament at all."

ANC demands action against MP Ian Cameron amid racism allegations

In related news, Briefly News recently reported that the African National Congress (ANC) has slammed DA MP Ian Cameron for his alleged insensitivity towards racism.

According to eNCA, ANC Western Cape spokesperson Khalid Sayed said the party welcomed Renaldo Gouws’ suspension.

Source: Briefly News