JOHANNESBURG: With political party posters said to be vandalised on a daily basis as the municipal elections loom ever closer, some political parties are pointing fingers at each other – with each party claiming: “It wasn’t me.”
An ANC billboard in Sebokeng Zone 6 was vandalised earlier this month, triggering a series of accusations.
After the billboard was slashed, two EFF posters were placed on top of it, leading the ANC to blame the rival party.
“The ANC billboard has been destroyed by the EFF hooligans,” said the ANC’s Thabiso Hlongwane on his Facebook page.
EFF national election spokesperson Veronica Mente denied the claims, but said her own party had seen vandalism of its posters.
“On Monday afternoon, the Joburg metro police department (JMPD) and ANC thugs removed all EFF posters in Joburg. If the ANC is not disrupting EFF meetings, stoning our members, it is removing our posters with its JMPD.
“These elections must be free and fair, that includes allowing political parties to freely campaign.
“Removal of posters constituted violation of the freeness and fairness of the campaign,” she said.
JMPD spokesperson Superintendent Edna Mamonyane rejected the EFF’s allegation that the JMPD was instructed by the ANC to remove posters, but said that the JMPD removed those posters because they were placed at illegal sites.
“Regardless of those posters belonging to
the EFF or not, if they are where they s
houldn’t be, we ought to remove them,” Mamonyane said.
The DA’s Gauteng North regional chairperson Solly Msimanga also said such vandalism was definitely a concern, and his party had also seen similar political interference.
“Our posters are being stolen and taken by ANC supporters, and they cannot continue to take them down because it is illegal to do so.
“In some incidents you find municipal workers being used to remove our posters, especially in Tshwane and Ekurhuleni where the ANC is feeling the heat, and really these materials are costly… Something has to be done,” he said.