Black First Land First

Black First Land First (BLF) is a Pan-Africanist and Revolutionary Socialist party in South Africa. BLF was founded in 2015 by Andile Mngxitama following his expulsion from the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF). Mngxitama had grown disgruntled with the EFF's leadership in late 2014.

History

Andile Mngxitama served as an EFF member of parliament after the party won 25 seats in the 2014 general election, the first elections ever contested by the EFF after their founding the previous year. Mngxitama became unhappy with EFF leadership after its inaugural elective conference in December 2014. He accused EFF leadership, and in particular its founder Julius Malema, of having the "same tendencies as the ANC", a party that Malema had been expelled from in 2012.^[2][3] These accusations caused a rift in the EEF, a rift that widened in February 2015 when the two sides "came to blows" following accusations that Malema had made a deal with the ANC to help get Mngxitama and his sympathizers out of parliament.^[4] Mngxitama and two of his comrades would be expelled in April.^[5]

Mngxitama was not perturbed by this development, and condemned the EFF of being a"watered-down version of the ANC".^[2] His main policy disagreement was the EFF's abandonment of his ideas of land reform, the "principle of expropriation without compensation" of white-owned land. This had always been an essential issue for Mngxitama, who had voiced his opinion to no avail during his tenure on the parliamentary Committee on Rural Development and Land Reform.^[6] He accused Malema of "selling out" on the issue, even invoking the Leninist practice of labeling him "revisionist".^[1][7] This unwavering commitment to radical land reform would become the kernel of the Black First Land First manifesto.^[8]

Policies

In its "Revolutionary Call" released on 13 August 2015, BLF notes that, "[w]ithout land there is no freedom or dignity. We want Land First because it is the basis of our freedom, our identity, our spiritual well-being, our economic development and culture. The land of Africans was stolen and this theft has rendered us landless in our own land. We want all the land with all of its endowments on its surface together with all the fortunes underground as well as the sky. All of it belongs to us! We are a people crying for our stolen land! Now we have decided to get it back by any means necessary!"^[9]

Some of the ideals the BLF fights for include:

1. Land first! We will not buy back our stolen land!
2. Black First! The black majority must be centred and prioritized!
3. Mineral rights belong to the people! Let the people own and benefit directly!
4. Employment and a minimum wage! Quality Jobs Now! R12 500 minimum wage is non-negotiable! Employment protection, and sickness and vacation rights from the first day of employment. Equal pay to be legally enforced and realized! An end to labour brokerage!

Colours and Logo

The Logo of Black First Land First (BLF) movement is the Sankofa Bird as a symbolism for understanding a people engaged in the struggle for freedom through the power of revolutionary historical lessons. In this regard we see how the Sankofa bird, while looking backwards, flies forward with an egg in its mouth. At the centre of the Sankofa's wing is the five pointed red star. The five-pointed red star symbolizes socialism and the blood of blacks whose lives were lost through the anti blackness of white supremacy. Moreover, the five points of the star represents the five continents and hence an internationalist outlook in pursuit of the total freedom of all the oppressed peoples of the world. The circle is colored in green to signify the Land and all the minerals beneath it that must be returned to the people.The circle itself, with its red outer and black inner boundary lines serves to protect the people engaged in revolution. The formation of the Sankofa bird into a black clenched fist signifies Black Power! This presupposes the solidarity of the black people. The formation of the bird's feet into a fountain pen signifies the importance of revolutionary theory as a guide to action in revolutionary struggle.^[10]

Structure

According to its Constitution,^[11] The BLF operates under the Leninist party organizational structure known as democratic centralism.^{[lower-alpha 1]} There are 4 chief organs of the party, arranged in the following hierarchy:^{[lower-alpha 2]}

1. The National Imbizo which elects the National Coordinating Committee
2. The Provincial Imbizo which elects the Provincial Coordinating Committee
3. The Regional Imbizo which elects the Regional Coordinating Committee
4. The Branch Biennial General Imbizo which elects the Branch Coordinating Committee

The National Imbizo, as the supreme ruling body, will convene at least once every 5 years. It is responsible for electing the members of the National Coordinating Committee (NCC) including the Secretary General.^{[lower-alpha 3]} This is very similar to the relationship between the Party Congress and the Central Committee in Marxist-Leninist parties. The BLF Constitution mandates the 50% of the seats in both the NCC and it's subcommittee, the Central Committee (CC), be occupied by women.^{[lower-alpha 4]} The lower level Imbizos and Coordinating Committees function in a similar fashion.^{[lower-alpha 5]}

Ideology

Mngxitama has stated that the parties policies are Black Consciousness and Pan-Africanism with a Sankarist leadership ethos.^[9][12] In the Marxist-Leninist tradition of vanguardism, the BLF has declared itself the "vanguard organization leading the revolutionary masses in the fight to destroy white supremacy".^{[lower-alpha 6]} The party has not yet contested any elections, and will have internal discussions on whether to do so in the future.^[12]

See also

• Azania in modern usage

Notes

References

External links

• Official website