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 24th 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.
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