Durban - The ANC in KwaZulu-Natal has claimed that people who recently disturbed DA campaigning while wearing ANC T-shirts were “sponsored” to tarnish the ruling party’s image.
ANC provincial secretary Super Zuma said on Wednesday that there was a campaign to “paint a picture that the ANC prevents people from campaigning”.
Zuma was responding to questions about incidents in which ANC members were seen hurling insults at DA members campaigning for local government elections in Durban.
IEC spokesman Thabani Ngwiri said there were codes of conduct concerning political parties disrupting the events of other parties.
According to the 2016 Electoral Handbook, it is an electoral offence to force anybody to attend or not to attend a political event or rally of a political party.
In one of the incidents, DA activist Siyabonga Wanda was stabbed in Welbedacht, Chats worth, after a DA Freedom Day rally on April 27. He and his comrades were confronted by people wearing ANC T-shirts.
People wearing similar T-shirts were also seen exchanging insults with DA supporters in Wentworth where DA leader Mmusi Maimane was addressing his party members this week.
Another small group, also in ANC T-shirts, was seen holding placards in protest against the DA in Clare Estate.
However, Zuma reasoned that such people “could not be ANC members” because they were acting against the rights which the ANC had fought hard for”.
“You see a person wearing an ANC T-shirt, then you say he is an ANC member. In some cases, we know of destabilisation happening in some of the wards where people would be given T-shirts knowing very well that those people are not ANC,” he said.
He admitted that there could be some ANC members involved in political intolerance.
“But in some issues it is a sponsored process which has nothing to do with our members,” he said.
ANC PEC member Nomagugu Simelane-Zulu condemned the intolerance “because the ANC fought very hard to ensure that areas in this province that were no-go areas are now accessible to everyone”.
“If it is one of our members, action will be taken,” said Simelane-Zulu.
KZN DA leader Zwakele Mncwango described Zuma’s assertion as “stupid”.
Mncwango said his party would not subject its members to such acts merely for publicity.
* Meanwhile, Umlazi residents – unhappy with the ANC nominations for local government elections – went on the rampage yesterday, destroying property and burning down an office belonging to the councillor for the area.
It is understood they were unhappy that ANC Ward 80 councillor in E-section, Mthekozisi Nonjiyeza, had been nominated to retain the position.
An ANC member in Umlazi said Nonjiyeza’s office in E-section was torched. People barricaded roads with bus stop shelters, which they had demolished, and burning tyres.
It is alleged that they want Zamani Mthethwa, who is an ANC, Sanco and SACP activist, to replace Nonjiyeza.
In Folweni, south of Durban, learning at schools has been at a standstill for more than two months, and government property destroyed because of dissatisfaction with the nomination process.
At Shaka’s Head, near Stanger, a councillor’s house and vehicles have also been torched.
The Mercury