Speculations arose that a poster encouraging people to “Kill whites in South Africa” was erected in Zimbabwe, with Middelburg Observer‘s office being inundated with furious phone calls.
The photoshopped poster reads: “You can kill whites in South Africa. Blacks can do anything!! Contact your nearest ANC office now! You will not be punished. You will get a white farm. Vote ANC.”
ANC national media spokesperson Dakota Legoete wrote it off as political bait, in a formal response.
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“It is purely malicious propaganda. It is frivolous and severely lacks substance, because it does not represent the ANC’s policies. The ANC remains a non-racial party, who devotes itself to live side by side with all nationalities and build a humane order. We believe that South Africa belongs to all who live in it.”
With land expropriation without compensation being so prevalent in the current political landscape, people seemed to think that the billboard really was erected, in Zimbabwe, and that the ANC was involved in its erection.
Legoete stated that the ANC would only make use of official campaign materials, as could be seen on their website.
When asked whether it was allowed for any political party to canvas in another country, Legoete insisted it was not.
“To put up posters in another country would mean to undermine the sovereignty of that country and its political leaders.”
He further went on to state that the ANC strived to always maintain a healthy and stable political relationship on an international scale.
Additional reporting by Nica Schreuder.
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