ANC’s blatant abuse of SASSA food parcels must be stopped

26 July 2016

The DA has learnt that ANC Ward 49 candidate, Ronnie Veeran, distributed ANC-branded invitations to Phoenix residents, inviting them to a SASSA event to collect food parcels. The invitations are numbered in order to identify food parcel recipients (see attached image).

The function, due to have taken place from 8am this morning, has been cancelled due to rain and is now scheduled to take place on Monday next week.

The ANC’s conduct is in gross violation of the most recent Public Protector ruling that SASSA and government food parcels may not be handed out at political rallies and events. It is also a criminal act which the DA will today report to the office of the Public Protector.

That the ANC in Phoenix – and Ronnie Veeran in particular – are prepared to go to illegal lengths in their campaign smacks of desperation.

Regrettably, this type of unethical behaviour is not new to the ANC. It is an underhand tactic employed during previous elections.  It also follows closely on ANC candidates handing out SASSA food parcels in Nkandla Municipality 

Food parcels and other social services are not a gift from the ANC.  They are a government service which should be rolled out to all citizens regardless of political affiliation.  They are not paid for by the ANC. They are paid for with taxpayers’ money. 

The ANC’s latest actions again show that it is an uncaring party, willing to use desperation and even starvation as campaigning tools.

The DA will report this matter to SASSA today and call for an immediate investigation. Those officials involved must be disciplined. 

We also call on KZN’s ANC leadership to censure and discipline their candidate, Ronnie Veeran, for abusing state resources and to put an immediate stop to Monday’s event.

The DA is the only party that has a proven service delivery track record across all communities with the City of Cape Town spending 67% of its municipal budget in poor communities, regardless of political affiliation.

We call on the people of KZN to come out in their numbers on 3 August and vote for a party that offers real change.

Issued by Rishigen Viranna, DA KZN Spokesperson on Social Development, 26 July 2016