BLF leader, Andile Mngxitama, says that his party is supporting former President Jacob Zuma because he represents Radical Economic Transformation (RET).
Speaking to Political Analysis South Africa on 5 April 2018, Mngxitama says that Black First Land First (BLF) have a responsibility to support the former president.
“We have a responsibility to support President Zuma because defending Zuma is defending Radical Economic Transformation,” he said.
Mngxitama was speaking ahead of the former president’s court appearance on Friday, 6 April 2018 at the Durban High Court.
Zuma is facing 16 charges of corruption, fraud and money laundering. The charges against him were dropped in 2009 by former Director of Public Prosecutions, Mokotedi Mpshe.
The BLF leader says that the charges are an attack on Zuma and that he believes that the former president will not get a fair trial.
The “Radical Economic Transformation agenda is under attack inside the ANC and him being as a symbolic representative of the agenda is being attacked through the judiciary,” he said.
“We are not going to let Zuma be isolated, vilified and unfairly persecuted,” Mngxitama added.
Mngxitama explains that the BLF along with 10 other organisations have come out in support of Zuma ahead of his court case.
A night vigil has been planned on the day before the former president’s appearance. It will culminate in a march outside the High Court on the 6 April 2018.