Joining ACM out of debt was Mara’s Louw point
The former Idols judge reportedly sent Motsoeneng WhatsApps ducking out of being the party's number 2 parliamentary candidate.
ACM leader Hlaudi Motsoeneng at the party’s manifesto launch. Picture: Twitter.
Mara Louw has reportedly sent African Content Movement (ACM) leader Hlaudi Motsoeneng a series of WhatsApps explaining that she will not be a parliamentary candidate for the party.
There is some mystery surrounding Louws’ appearance at number two on the ACM list.
Louw denied being a candidate, but her ID number matched that of ACM’s number 2 candidate and ACM spokesperson Phuti Mosomane told Sunday World “IEC regulations are clear” and wouldn’t allow a candidate to be nominated without the proposed candidate being consulted and accepting the nomination.
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Now, The Star reports that it has seen text messages from Louw indicating that she would not be part of former SABC COO Motsoeneng’s “political journey”.
“Please find it in your heart to understand. I cannot do this. Thank you for assisting me. I will return the money,” Louw said. According to the report, this is a reference to money she borrowed from Motsoeneng after experiencing financial trouble.
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“After serious consideration, I realised that I (had) made a terrible mistake. When [I] asked for your assistance, I didn’t think I might be asked to join your party,” Louw’s WhatsApps to Motsoeneng read.
Louw also said she had asked her lawyers to write to the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) for them to remove her as a parliamentary candidate.
ACM launched their manifesto over the weekend at the Curries Fountain sports centre in Durban. The event was met with ridicule on social media, with people sharing pics of a mainly empty stadium.
The event started hours late after it was delayed by a court application brought by Motsoeneng which saw him attempt to force his former employers, the SABC, to broadcast the manifesto launch.
The application was dismissed with costs at the High Court in Johannesburg, with the SABC successfully arguing that it was under no obligation to cover any political party’s events.
https://twitter.com/AdvBarryRoux/status/1114515404553060352
(Compiled by Daniel Friedman)
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