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Billionaire businessman Patrice Motsepe has filed an urgent interdict application against Black First, Land First (BLF) and its leader Andile Mngxitama in connection with allegations that Motsepe was involved in an alleged plot to interfere in Botswana's politics, The Citizen reported on Tuesday.
Last week, Mngxitama accused Motsepe, together with Energy Minister Jeff Radebe and his wife, Bridgette Motsepe-Radebe, of "craving Botswana diamonds", according to TimesLIVE.
News24 reported that Motsepe-Radebe had been banned from entering the country without a visa. A document issued by Botswana's immigration minister on April 17 said she would have to "obtain a visa to enter Botswana".
On Friday, Motsepe's lawyers sent a letter to BLF asking the party to refrain from making said utterances because they were "untruthful".
But the party hit back, saying: "We are not in a position to give such an undertaking because it would be tantamount to self-censorship and practically bowing to intimidation via the abuse of the law and its processes by one of the wealthiest families in South Africa."
"Your client would assist us a great deal towards making any undertaking if he can tell us what exactly is untruthful in our statements," the party added.
On Tuesday evening, a video of Mngxitama addressing a crowd in Ivory Park was posted on BLF's official Twitter page. It was suggested that the questions put to Motsepe in the party's response were simple enough to be answered.
Said Mngxitama: "Are you (Motsepe) craving the diamonds in Botswana? If you don't, there's no problem. Your sister tried to bribe a conference. Is that true or not?"
The Citizen further reported that, Motsepe, through his lawyers at Bowmans, argued that BLF relied on a discredited news report from Botswana on which to base the allegations against him.
