ANC Statement on DA violating the Electoral Act and Code of Conduct
The African National Congress today issued a letter of demand to the Democratic Alliance regarding the false SMS distributed by or on behalf of the DA stating that the report of the Public Protector proves President Zuma stole R246million to build his house and urging voters to vote for the DA to beat corruption. The letter calls for the DA to retract and apologise for this false and vindictive text message by 17h00 today, failing which the African National Congress will proceed with seeking legal recourse for the DA's contravention of sections of the Electoral Act and the Electoral Code of Conduct. This contravention has also been reported to the Independent Electoral Commission.
The African National Congress is prepared to take this firm action not only to protect the integrity of the President of the ANC and the ANC itself but most importantly the integrity of the electoral process as a whole. The Electoral Code of Conduct, which was signed by all parties - including the DA - as recently as last week, binds us all during the electioneering process and specifically prohibits "publishing false information about other candidates or parties".
The flagrant disregard for this provision by the DA endangers the very freeness and fairness of our electoral system that the ANC and South Africans as a whole hold so dear. The integrity of our electoral process and its provisions are a hard-won victory for our people and form the very foundation of our democratic society. It is for this reason the ANC shall continue to defend and protect our electoral provisions, including by laying criminal charges against the DA for the contravening the very Code they should be recommitting themselves to. It is our hope that such action will also deter any other political adventurers from following this vexatious and spurious act of the DA.
Statement issued by Jackson Mthembu, ANC national spokesperson, March 24 2014
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