BLACK FIRST! – LAND FIRST! A REVOLUTIONARY CALL
“For a colonized people the most essential value, because it’s the most concrete, is first and foremost the land: the land which will bring them bread and, above all, dignity.”- Frantz Fanon
Twenty years after democracy black people are still at the bottom of society. We, the black majority, are last instead of being the first in our own country. Now we have decided to put black people first! It is only when we as black people are seen and treated as the rightful owners of this country shall we be really liberated and treated with the dignity that we deserve. The first step to black liberation – to achieve dignity and an end to white arrogance and racism – is LAND FIRST! It is land that shall put BLACKS FIRST! Without LAND we are nothing! With LAND we are everything we want to be and more!
In South Africa right now, there is no revolutionary movement that puts black first and land first! We lost hope on the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) when in April 2015 it’s president, Julius Malema, sold out the land principle of “expropriation of (all) land without compensation”. In this regard Malema assured the white agricultural capitalist class in Stellenbosch that as long “as it’s a productive farm, we don’t have to interfere with the production on that piece of land” and opted instead for the anti black demand of expropriation and occupation of “non-productive land” only. Furthermore, he told the land thieves that when there is a part of the land “which is not used for agriculture purposes, we would be having a problem. All we are saying is the land must be used. It must not lie idle.” He thus gave a guarantee to land thieves that “their” land is secured and that blacks shall only occupy unused and unproductive land. What
an insult! We don’t want crumbs! We want all our land because it is ours!
Blacks last in their country!
Black people are last in all areas of life. First and foremost, we are last when it comes to land ownership. The white settler minority has the land while we blacks are landless! Out of the 54 million people in South Africa only 35 000 white families including white businesses own more than 80% of the land. Since 1994, the ANC government has bought 8% of the land from whites at the cost of about R50 billion! The ANC is using our money to buy back the stolen land. Since 1994 more than 1 million black people have been forcibly removed from farms! Farm workers are slaves in SA. The restitution-claiming communities, who are victims of apartheid land removals, remain landless after 20 years of ANC rule! In urban areas black people have no housing because they are landless. The housing prices are out of reach for most blacks. In this context, most black professionals cannot even afford housing because of the landlessness. If we were to rely on the current land policies of the ANC it will take more than100 years to buy back only 30% of the land.
Black people are last when it comes to employment! More than 45% of black people are unemployed compared to only 5% of white people! Whites are only 10% of the economically active population but occupy over 60% of the top management positions.
Black people are last when it comes to income! White families earn six times more than what black families earn. A black family’s annual income is a meagre R60 000, whereas a white family earns an annual income of R360 000. Added to this factual situation is the reality that on an average a black family is comprised of 6 people compared to a white family of about 3 people.
We are last even when it comes to education. Shockingly only 5% of blacks complete their university or tertiary education. Most black students are excluded from university due to financial constraints.
It is not a secret that black people are also at the bottom of the economy. To this end, inter alia, blacks only own about 3% of the listed JSE companies.
Enough is enough! We have decided to fight for Black First through ensuring Land First!
All the political parties and social movements in South Africa are currently not for Black First and Land First! The ruling party and the opposition parties do not put black people first. The politicians are apologetic when it comes to the demands of blacks and in particular the resolution of the land question.
We hereby invite all those who believe like we do that it is time to put BLACK FIRST! LAND FIRST! to hold hands with us so as to build a revolutionary movement based on TWO basic principles:
1. BLACK FIRST
Black people are the first people on earth! We blacks gave the white world life and civilization but slavery, colonialism and apartheid have put blacks last. We are now correcting this injustice by calling for Black First! By black we mean all those who are oppressed and dispossessed by colonialism and apartheid. The system of divide and rule has been sustained by creating misunderstandings amongst the oppressed. In this context the elites from within the black community have further fuelled tribal animosities. Black First seeks to end all divisions and contradictions amongst the people so as to consolidate them into a united strong block against white racism and dispossession. Black First follows the liberating truth that “the last shall be first”. We have been overlooked for far too long! Putting Black First means ending suffering, poverty, landlessness and all the other ills of white supremacy that characterize the black condition. Black First is a call for blacks to love themselves, to care for each other and to fight for their liberation and dignity.
2. Land First!
Without 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!
Our philosophy of liberation is Black Consciousness and Pan Africanism
Our guiding philosophical outlook is both the Black Consciousness of Steve Bantu Biko and the Pan Africanism of Robert Mangaliso Sobukwe, which we believe constitute a wholistic single philosophy of Black liberation.
The above philosophy encompasses “Sankofa” African wisdom as expressed by the symbolism of the Sankofa bird. To this end the Sankofa bird indicates our commitment to learn from the past so as to create the present and a new future. We must be committed to learn from all our past – from antiquity to yesterday – so that we may create a better and improved today.
A Sankarist Leadership ethos
We pledge to build a revolutionary movement, that is Sankarist in belief and practice, following and honouring the revolutionary legacy of Thomas Sankara. We believe that for the movement to succeed it needs a servant leadership – an accountable, democratic, responsive leadership that puts black people first!
We invite you to come and build a revolutionary movement with us, so as to fight for the following ideals:
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!
5. Basic income for all Now! No one should go to bed on an empty stomach!
6. Housing is a right! End all squatter camps in five years!
7. Healthcare is a right! Build hospitals and train nurses and doctors!
8. Anti Racism. Declare racism a crime!
9. Anti sexism and anti homophobia. Fight to end women oppression and homophobia!
10. Socialism! Only fair distribution of wealth can bring about real economic freedom!
11. Pro-people Industrialization. Follow ecologically friendly industrialization!
12. African dignity and unity! Africa is one and her liberation paramount!
13. Mental liberation! The biggest disease killing Africa is ignorance and colonial mind-sets.
14. All elected members of parliamant and public servants must use public services!
15. The Thomas Sankara Oath and the People’s Manifesto are our eyes to guide us to total liberation for real.
16. Youth Advancement. The future belongs to the youth!
17. Education for all! Mass quality education responding to societal developmental challenges and building a socialist people’s first culture must be extended to all.
Politicians and political parties have shown their hands. They do not believe in what they say. They are too quick to sell black people out. No political party currently believes in Land First but we must not lose hope! We must build a new revolutionary movement that aims to overthrow this anti-black racist, capitalist rule that started in 1652 and was not ended in1994. Unorganized, we cannot win the battle for a Free Azania. The time for Black First, Land First is now! Let us together turn this dream into reality.
Issued by: Andile Mngxitama on behalf of the Interim National Coordinating Committee of the BlackFirst! Land First! Movement.
For more information contact Black First Land First! via the following email address: [email protected]
13 August 2015