AfriBusiness tries to interdict Mgxitama's BLF from mass land invasions

7th December 2017 By: African News Agency

AfriBusiness tries to interdict Mgxitama's BLF from mass land invasions

BLF leader Andile Mngxitama & spokesperson Zanele Lwana

Afrikaner business lobby group, AfriBusiness, has made an application for an interdict against Black First Land First (BLF) party to prohibit it from inciting people to trespass and organize mass land invasions.

This comes after the North Gauteng High Court on Wednesday granted the interdict and ruled that BLF, Andile Mngxitama, its leader, and spokesperson Zanele Lwana must refrain from inciting the public to participate in these activities.

The court also ordered that BLF pay the costs at attorney-and-client scale, including the cost of two counsels, of AfriBusiness’s application.

"We are very pleased that the court granted the interdict against BLF and will continue to hold organisations who make themselves guilty of similar illegal acts of incitement accountable," Armand Greyling, law and policy analyst at AfriBusiness, said in a statement.

"We have walked the same route with the EFF, which made similar proclamations about land grabbing. The message should therefore be clear: No matter who you are or what your organisation stands for, you will be held accountable for the things you say in public."

The BLF has been on a concerted campaign of mass land grabs across the country, marching to white-owned farms and demanding the return of "stolen land" and vowing to intensify mass land invasions from January 2018.

AfriBusiness approached the court for an interdict after the business rights watchdog became aware of media reports and statements made by BLF that incited people to invade and occupy land.