‘Black ops’ campaign has nothing to do with the ANC, says Mantashe

ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe says the “black ops” election was not an ANC issue, but said the party was dealing with the matter.

“It is not an ANC issue,” Mantashe said on Wednesday in Irene, outside Pretoria.

“There is no such ‘black ops’ for the ANC.”

Mantashe threw the ball effectively in the hands of the general manager of the ANC, Ignatius Jacobs, saying he made deals on the side.

“It has nothing to do with the ANC,” Mantashe said.

“Therefore, we don’t think we should drag the ANC into that. We are taking it quite seriously. The general manager of the ANC is implicated and we are dealing with the matter.”

The ANC met Jacobs on Wednesday.

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This comes after reports emerged that the ANC had planned to spend R50 million on a covert campaign targeting opposition parties in the build-up to the 2016 local government elections.

Earlier, ANC Youth League secretary-general Njabulo Nzuza denied that the ANC planned to sabotage other political parties in the lead-up to 2016 local government elections.

People must desist from branding our meetings as if we were planning to bomb countries,” Nzuza said.

“Every political organisation has meetings in the build-up to elections, planning how to win elections and how they are going to have the advantage over other parties.

“If you want to say those meetings is a war room, you can say so.”

Nzuza said it was not wrong for those meetings to be held.

“We are a political party and we are in a contestation for election,” he said

“The ANC will continue to have meetings.”

“We meet to plan how to advance our campaigns.”

Meanwhile, the ANC is holding its lekgotla in Irene, outside Pretoria. The meeting will focus on the economy, land reform and education.

It is the last lekgotla of the national executive committee.

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