DA to appeal Electoral Court ruling over Ramaphosa’s address to nation

The Democratic Alliance (DA) said despite being in the government of national unity (GNU) it will not shy away from holding President Cyril Ramaphosa and political parties in the collective to account if they make mistakes.

This comes after the DA said it will be appealing the decision by the Electoral Court to dismiss the party’s legal challenge that President Ramaphosa’s pre-election speech was an abuse of state resources for political gain.

Judgement

On 26 May, a day before the beginning of special voting in South Africa, President Ramaphosa addressed the nation which was broadcast on  South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) and other government platforms.

The DA argued that Ramaphosa, who was the African National Congress’ (ANC) candidate for president in the May polls, violated multiple provisions of the Electoral Act.

However, the court on Monday ruled there was no evidence that Ramaphosa’s address “influenced a single voter”.

ALSO READ: DA loses Electoral Court case over Ramaphosa’s address to nation

‘We will be successful on appeal’

 DA national spokesperson, Willie Aucamp told The Citizen, that the party will be appealing the Electoral Court judgement.

“We are disappointed in the judgment. We have discussed it with our legal team, and they have pointed out to us several matters on which we believe we will be successful on appeal. So yes, the Democratic Alliance is going to appeal this.

“We believe that the President used this speech as a campaign speech. If you compare this speech that he did when he addressed the nation on SABC three days prior to the election, and you compare this speech with a campaign speech that he did at an ANC rally just days prior to this. The essence of the speech is, in essence, the same,” Aucamp said.

What about the GNU?

Aucamp said the DA’s decision to appeal the Electoral Court’s decision does not impact the party’s participation in the GNU.

“It’s very important that people out there must realise that us now being in the GNU does not mean that we will look away when we believe mistakes are being made. We will speak up, we’ve got an obligation to protect the constitution and laws of this country and as being in the GNU makes that responsibility, greater, we’ve got to protect this.

“So this is not about picking a fight with the ANC it’s about doing what is right,” Aucamp said.

ALSO READ: DA hauls Ramaphosa to court for ‘abusing office’ in national address

Election results

Despite the once dominant ANC losing its majority in a historic election result that put South Africa on a new political path, Aucamp questioned  Ramaphosa’s intention with his national address.

“We have got no problem if the President addressed the nation in an objective way and trying to persuade them to go out and vote, but he must not misuse that to promote his own party between the lines, and this was not even done between the lines. Again, go and compare this with the speech that he made at an ANC rally just prior, days prior to this speech, and the similarities are astounding,” Aucamp said.

Following the elections, the ANC made a deal with other parties to form a government of national unity (GNU) for the first time since the end of apartheid.

The 2024 elections were officially declared free and fair.

ALSO READ: WATCH: Ramaphosa makes last pitch to voters ahead of 2024 elections