Character Assassination 101

Character Assassination 101

I identifies as Black. That is our outer identity. A man of Black skin and from African parentage. Raised in a place called a township during Apartheid South Africa. I saw the transition. I was conscious when Nelson Mandela was set free.

I does not own land.

Andile Mngxitama is and has been working on getting Land back for Africans for many years. If you don’t know September National Imbizo, and the pre-parliament Economic Freedom Fighters, then you are a little behind. But that’s not the important thing.

Today, we are discussing character assassination.For contrast, remember that Chris Hani was physically/mortally assassinated a year before the African National Congress contested the elections of 1994. The South African Communist Party could not sensibly contest the national elections after their leader died. This was one of the most major blows to the South African, rather, Azanian Communist ideal. We lost the pivotal voice of the Workers and the landless. For you will know that the Miners of South Africa mostly live in hostels and shack colonies. Terrible places that burn too easily. Quite literally shitty sanitation and terrible air to breathe. Well those same Miners were shot in something known as the Marikana Incident in 2012, for practising their right to withhold labour for improved life conditions. Our president  elect gave orders. Cyril Ramaphosa gave orders. Workers died and have yet to get better quality of life.

Well, we had a glimmer of hope when the Economic Freedom fighters were formed. Besides a jilted relationship with the African National Congress Youth League, Julius Malema had an interesting army behind him. Andile Mngxitama, Floyd Shivambu, Toni Chetty, Mbuyiseni Ndlozi, the indomitable Mandisa Mashego, among others who are not nearly s well known. They promised “freedom in our lifetime” among other things. Andile’s focus was on the banks i.e. White Monopoly Capital and the Land Question. After some drama of little concern to this subject, Andile and a couple of others left the EFF just before they won some seats in parliament. He and others missed their train to alter policy from within. So they formed their own movement. 

I, personally, was very pleased to hear that Black First Land First was a real thing. They were targeting banks and other institutions of capital to be accountable. To give back what was rightfully African and even more so, Black. Now, he and his mates have needed funding to run an independent, left-leaning movement in South Africa for almost 3 years, now. Tell me, Dear Reader, have you given Andile Mngxitama money to fight for the landless and voiceless? If so, do leave a comment below. Because it’s a difficult enough thing to get ZAR10,000 for a Science Fiction publication, but try running a Bikoist movement with an underpaid staff scattered countrywide. He talks a lot, Mr Mngxitama. His job is to talk. To be seen. To be the voice that says, “Hey you, Menier Johann Rupert. You’re a bloody thief, gangster and a liar. Give us back what is ours.”

When last has someone stood up to ABSA Bank and over 15 others? He was the last one. When last has an independent person confronted the Press ombudsman about News24 and other agencies? He was the last one.  Flying around South Africa is not cheap. And you tell me what has been paying for the t-shirts and shuttles to and from the airport.

A REVOLUTION NEEDS FUNDING, PEOPLE!

And just when the anti-Gupta press is in full-swing, the media distraction machine throws one more sacrifice into the volcano. A human sacrifice by the name of Andile Mngxi. Because who will give him credit/credibility if you attach his name squarely with the Guptas? The Tweets are off the charts as South Africans smear his name. All it took was a (surprise, surprise) a story from News24 and in a couple of minutes, a man can lose hold of a movement.

I’m worried. I’m hoping there will be a positive spin to this. Because if we destroy the Guptas, we would be handing over their billions to the White Man who has enough of them billions already. In fact, character assassination has always served economic ends. You don’t employ the tool of assassination unless you are going to profit from it. At this time in South African political history, Andile Mngxitama and Jacob Zuma are the only ones that are consistently talking about Land Reform and ending of White Monopoly Capital. Cyril Ramaphosa was sold the moment he was bought into Lonmin Mines. Lesotho knows how much damage Cyril Ramaphosa can do, too. (we can discuss that some other time)

So the sorry is still very fresh, and https://blackopinion.co.za is back online. Let’s see what happens now. It’s just not cool, how they can so easily distract a populous from the important facts. Lt me pose this question to you, Dear Reader: If Andile is soiled, named and shamed because he took Gupta spin money, then who pays News24 to spin a character assassination story on the 24^th of July 2017?

Who is amaBhungane made of, as an investigative journalism team? Because as investigative journalists, they would/should know the amount of damage a story like this can make to a movement. You don’t publish stories like this without taking a side. Unless you is ignorant. Just look who is credited for their Photography? Gallo Images/Beeld/Deaan Vivier. Make your judgements,  but get informed, first.

I does not take this lightly. Watch this space for developments.