DA march to Luthuli House ‘cheap political gimmicks’ – ANC

The African National Congress (ANC) has hit back at the Democratic Alliance (DA) after the opposition party marched to ANC headquarters Luthuli House over the inclusion of controversial names on the governing party’s elections list.

The DA said “thousands of South Africans” had lodged their objections to the ANC list through their website, but the ANC, in response, said they found this claim questionable.

“The arrogance of the DA in believing that they are the South African public exposes their own elitism, misplaced superiority, and their undermining of due process,” the ANC said.

“The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) is mandated by the Constitution and the law to administer the processes of submissions and objections to party lists. The Commission received 52 written objections. One objection was upheld by the IEC and fifty-one overturned.

“A further chance was given to citizens and parties to take these matters to the Electoral Court. By the close of the deadline, not one ruling of the IEC was taken to the Electoral Court.”

The ANC referred to the DA’s antics as cheap political gimmicks.

“Marches on each other’s headquarters smack of political immaturity, extreme provocation, and interfering with the rights of campaigning. We will make a formal complaint to the IEC about this interference with our rights.

“Nonetheless, the ANC will today receive the memorandum from the DA at its party headquarters by its staff. Unfortunately, leaders of the ANC are doing real election work, which is to engage with voters on the ground.”

This follows the DA’s Gauteng premier candidate, Solly Msimanga, alongside DA provincial leader John Moodey, on Wednesday marching to the ANC’s headquarters to deliver public objections to the party’s parliamentary list.

They submitted a memorandum to oppose the inclusion of several candidates on the ANC’s list which have been implicated in crimes ranging from corruption and maladministration to sexual assault.

Msimanga, who led the DA group, said the ANC leadership belonged in prison, not parliament, while handing over a bunch of orange prison jumpsuits to ANC staff.

The DA earlier said their protest was prompted by weekend reports on a ruling by the ANC’s integrity committee.

“Over the weekend, reports emerged that the ANC’s own integrity committee reportedly recommended the removal of, among others, David Mabuza and Gwede Mantashe. Regardless of this fact, the ANC intends to send their list of criminals, failed public representatives, corruption-tainted officials, and unrepentant thieves to parliament after [the 2019 elections]. These are people who have stolen money from citizens while corrupting government and capturing the state.”

The party handed over a memorandum with allegedly more than half a million signatures from South Africans who had issues with candidates who had been implicated in the commission of inquiry into state capture.

Among the names flagged are Mabuza, Mantashe, and Environmental Affairs Minister Nomvula Mokonyane.

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