ANC STATEMENT ON NEGATIVE CAMPAIGNING BY THE DA

The African National Congress is enraged by the irresponsible, defamatory and negative campaigning by the DA following the release of the Public Protector's Report on the Nkandla security upgrades. We have noted the statements they have used continuously on TV and other media which are calculated to mislead the public by suggesting that President Zuma used tax monies to build his private dwelling at the expense of the poor. 

At a media conference in Nkandla near the homestead of the President, Musi Maimane, the national spokesperson of DA, whilst casting his eyes and gesturing violently towards the homestead he said referring to the President's homestead 'this was in exchange for the houses of the poor, hospitals and clinics for the underdeveloped areas -- and abuse of privilege'. This is clearly a desperate and opportunistic character assassination of President Zuma who is the face of the ANC elections campaign. This is meant to discredit him and ANC in the eyes of the voters on the eve of the 7 May elections.

This is in contravention of the code of conduct for all political parties participating in these elections as set out by the IEC. We are in the processes of registering our complaints with the Broadcast Complains Commission and the Office of the Ombudsman as the malicious and defamatory remarks by Maimane were carried by all media platforms.

This assertion totally ignores the outcome of the report which acknowledged that the President's dwelling was not built by monies from government and that the President and his family paid for their dwellings and everything occupied by the family. This is evidently done to rubbish and drag the name of President Zuma on the mud.

This message has also been circulated through SMS messaging which is based on a deliberate lie and targeting President Zuma, the government and the ANC. We are actively taking this matter up by opening a charge of defamation and malicious conduct. We will also be approaching relevant recourse structures that deal with elections including the IEC and the electoral court if necessary to ensure that this irresponsible conduct is curtailed and exposed.

We are also certain that the charges that have been laid against President Zuma are void and publicity seeking in that, within the Public Protector's report, there are no grounds for any criminal charges against President Zuma. The proposed sanction of repayment by Public Protector is premised on what she views as excesses from security requirements. Even these it was established that they were determined by the team working on the upgrades and had nothing to do with President Zuma. The President has not been found guilty of corruption, maladministration or impropriety by the two reports. The hurried act by some of these parties to lay charges is indicative of desperation by them clutching at straws and willing to do and say anything based on prejudice. 

The ANC welcomes that the processes of dealing with irregularities, maladministration and inflation of prices is receiving necessary attention from relevant law enforcement agencies and through the SIU as proclaimed by the President. We are confident that President Zuma will not be found guilty by any courts on the charges laid by the two parties. Even police service will have no grounds to pursue the charges against the President based on the outcome and final reports of both the Public Protector and Inter-Ministerial Investigation.

Statement issued by Jackson Mthembu, ANC national spokesperson, March 21 2014

Click here to sign up to receive our free daily headline email newsletter