Black First Land First (BLF) leader Andile Mngxitama said‚ ahead of its launch conference on Saturday‚ that people should not confuse his movement for a political party.

“BLF is not a political party‚ nor is affiliated to any political parties. BLF is a revolutionary movement which aims to overthrow the current system of power and politics‚” he said.

But‚ according to Mngxitama‚ BLF will use the political sphere and might participate in elections.

“On the launch conference agenda is the question of participation or no participation in the electoral system. If BLF decides to participate in elections‚ it would not lose its character as revolutionary movement that seeks to end politics‚” explained Mngxitama.

“The guiding approach is summed up as ‘anti politics-political engagement’. Basically‚ BLF seeks to use politics to end the same because as the people know politics is a dirty game.”

He said that the movement will be focused on the “black agenda”‚ which will liberate black people.

This includes‚ among other things‚ giving land back to black people‚ giving black people power as the majority‚ which will see a major change in the JSE‚ where‚ according to Mngxitama‚ blacks only own 3%.

“BLF is about the total liberation of black people. After 22 years of democracy‚ blacks are still at the bottom and suffer from racism at all levels.

“From the school yard‚ university and boardroom. The same is true on farms. kitchens‚ gardens and factories‚” he said‚ adding that if nothing is done‚ then the state of blacks shall be the same in the next 100 years.

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Mngxitama was one of three EFF MPs who were expelled from the party after allegedly questioning leader Julius Malema’s leadership.

He‚ Mpho Ramakatsa and Khanyisile Litchfield-Tshabalala had accused Malema and EFF deputy president Floyd Shivambu of embezzling party funds and corruption.

They approached the courts to declare the party’s inaugural elective conference – at which Malema was elected as leader – null and void.

Mngxitama said the movement has already garnered support ahead of its launch conference.

“The response has been beyond our expectations‚ right now we are sitting with a problem of transporting people from the different provinces to the launch conference.

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“We appeal for any assistance from the public to make sure we are able to bring our delegates to Soweto. The revolutionary youth‚ student and the conscious black professional classes have shown keen interests in BLF‚ including the landless in both the urban and rural areas.”

He took a swipe at the EFF‚ saying the party that claims it wants land to be given to black people without compensation has surrendered to whites and does not actually believe black people can successfully run farming.

“South Africa needs to be returned to black people‚ and the first act towards that is land return without payment.

“Other parties‚ like EFF‚ have already surrendered land to whites even as they claim ‘expropriation without compensation’; they say whites should keep the most productive land and give blacks only land they whites don’t use.

“In other words‚ reject land must be given to blacks. This also shows slave mentality where these people don’t believe blacks can actually farm and feed the nation.”