Black First Land First (BLF) was shocked to see the announcement that today the SABC will broadcast a lecture by Ronald Lamola of the African National Congress (ANC) on Tsietsi Mashinini. We wrote to the political editor of the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) to object to this attack on the memory of Tsietsi Mashinini who had refused to join the ANC for clear ideological reasons. Lamola and the ANC have no right to defile the memory of Tsietsi Mashinini and try to recruit him from the grave.

BLF calls on the SABC to be a public broadcaster, not a state party organ of propaganda. Below is the WhatsApp note by BLF sent to the SABC yesterday, to which we received no response:

“Mr Mbeje; afternoon. My name is Andile Mngxitama President of a black consciousness organisation called Black First Land First (BLF). I write now in connection with the Tsietsi Mashinini lecture to be delivered by the Minister of Justice tomorrow through the SABC. It is not clear who the organiser of the lecture is.

We believe its unethical for a minister from a political party which was rejected by Tsietsi to give a lecture on him. This strikes us as an attack on the memory of Tsietsi Mashinini. We have no doubt that Min Lamola will distort the truth about Tsietsi. Lamola has no knowledge about Tsietsi so what gives him the authority to give a lecture on him?

In the interest of balance and in defence of the truth we ask that people who know what Tsietsi stood for and why he was murdered, people like Prof Itumeleng Mosala or Lybon Mabasa be engaged to respond to the lecture.

I was in Soweto when Kwame Toure called to report the murder of Tsietsi Mashinini. I stayed with Khotso Seatlholo. Its my duty to defend the memory of Tsietsi.
I would be happy to respond or assist in anyway possible to maintain balance and the truth about Tsietsi.

Thanks”

Issued by Black First Land First, National Coordinating Committee of (BLF NCC)

18 June 2020

Contact Details

Black First Land First Mail: [email protected]

Zanele Lwana
(BLF Deputy President)
Cell: +27 79 986 7225