ANC must take responsibility for unethical ‘Black Ops’ campaign and face the music
29 January 2017
The release of secret tape recordings prove that a top ANC Headquarters official, General Manager, Mr Ignatius Jacobs, knew about what has been termed a ‘Black Ops’ communications campaign by ANC members and supporters. This grouping, in violation of the Electoral Code of Conduct and possibly illegally, deliberately produced and distributed false content about its political opponents, including the Democratic Alliance.
It is time for the ANC to come clean and provide and full and frank briefing to the public about exactly what their fake news "black ops" unit did, and to whom. They cannot go on blankly denying that anything unethical or illegal happened. The mounting evidence is hard to refute.
Having noted a statement released by the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) stating that the current “…legal process should be allowed to be concluded and that it would be premature to comment on such allegations”, I will be raising this very serious matter with the Commission when I meet with it on Tuesday for a scheduled meeting.
The ANC’s fraudulent propaganda campaign is in clear violation of the Electoral Code of Conduct, which is designed to enforce the principle of “conditions that are conducive to free and fair elections”. The Code of Conduct, which all political parties, including the ANC, subscribed to ahead of the 2016 elections, states, terms of Sections 89(2)(a) and (c) “No person may publish any false information with the intention of creating hostility of fear in order to influence the conduct or outcome of an election; or influencing the conduct or outcome of an election.”
Such violations come with, among other sanctions, a fine of up to R200,000 and/or having the registration of the Party cancelled.
This is a serious matter that should be condemned by all South African who believe in the basic requirement of free and fair elections.
Statement issued by Mmusi Maimane MP, Leader of the Democratic Alliance, 29 January 2017
