ANC to track down ‘faceless sources’

ANC members who leak party information to the media will be dealt with and a high-level standing committee will be appointed to police the matter.

This was announced yesterday in a post-national executive committee (NEC) media briefing by ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula.

He said the party was troubled by members who leaked information from the NEC and national working committee (NWC) as “faceless sources”.

The standing committee, to comprise “experienced professionals” and “seasoned” ANC members, would do forensic audits of information leaks by NEC and NWC members to journalists through “faceless” individuals.

ALSO READ: Mbalula warns ANC leaders to stop talking about presidency succession after Mashatile comments

ANC now must ‘defend itself’

“In most instances, these discussions are distorted. The ANC has an obligation and responsibility to defend itself against distortions from faceless sources masquerading as credible to the media.

“So, this decision will be implemented to defend the integrity of ANC information because the ANC speaks for itself and it does not speak through third parties,” Mbalula said.

He said recently there had been a number of fictitious ANC meetings where fictitious decisions were reported in the media.

“That undermines the standing of the ANC in terms of the credibility of its decisions and communication of its decisions,” he said.

This happened though the party spokespersons and other members entrusted with communicating its messages were available to the media at all times.

He was of the view that what became “saucy and very attractive is faceless”.

But Mbalula did not say that most ANC spokespersons do not respond to journalists’ queries, especially those from the print media.

They respond to broadcasters only and are always available for interviews in news studios.

ALSO READ: ‘I know Matamela [Ramaphosa] will never sell us out in that GNU’ – Mbalula