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By Itumeleng Mafisa

Journalist


ANC to open case of theft after man is caught ‘stealing’ R45 election poster

Poster 'theft': The ANC ruling party said it did not take kindly to the theft of their costly election posters.


The ANC in Johannesburg said it is planning to open a criminal case against a Sandton man caught on camera stealing an election poster.

Quarrel over ANC poster in Parkhurst

In a video clip circulating on social media, the man is seen putting the ANC poster in his car.

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The woman who took the footage of the theft, decides to confront him for taking the poster down.

The man tell her that he was not stealing the election poster, but was taking it so he can go and “advertise” for the ANC.

“I am putting it in my car so people can see it,” the man said.

He can be seen driving off when the argument between himself and the woman starts to escalate.

“If you were a proud ANC member you would not be doing that,” the woman said.

ALSO READ: Eskom warns political parties about placing posters on its infrastructure

ANC slams behaviour of man as ‘racist’

ANC regional spokesperson Masilo Serekele said the party saw the man’s behaviour as being “racist”.

Serekele said it was strange that the man was seen putting the ANC poster in his car.

“We think this is a racist act more than a dislike of the ANC. From where I am seated this man has a problem with the ANC and we condemn this behavior in the strongest terms,” Serekele said.

Cost of ANC election poster

Serekele said the poster had cost the ANC R45 to produce.

“You can imagine we have put over 300 000 of these posters all over the city. They are expensive to produce,” Serekele said.

Criminal case

Serekele said a delegation of ANC leaders would open a criminal case against the man at the Sandton Police Station on Monday afternoon.

“If the poster was in the wrong area law enforcement should have been able to act and by-laws should have kicked in,” Serekele said.

The ANC is not the only party that has complained about its posters being removed.

A number of political parties had complained to the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) about their posters being removed by rival parties.

ALSO READ: Will party posters lure the youth?

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