ANC dismisses EFF disruption claims

An ANC supporter holds a flag of the ANC while the President Jacob Zuma addresses ANC Gauteng Cadre Assembly in Pretoria. Picture: Phill Magakoe

An ANC supporter holds a flag of the ANC while the President Jacob Zuma addresses ANC Gauteng Cadre Assembly in Pretoria. Picture: Phill Magakoe

Published Jul 21, 2014

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Johannesburg - The ANC in Gauteng on Monday dismissed allegations by the EFF that it planned on disrupting the party's one-year anniversary rally in Soweto on the weekend.

“It is ridiculous to say the least,” African National Congress provincial spokesman Nkenke Kekana said.

The Economic Freedom Fighters' national spokesman Mbuyiseni Ndlozi said the party's leadership was informed that an ANC member in Jabulani had told an official branch meeting that there was an instruction from upper structures that the EFF rally should be disrupted.

Ndlozi said the party was informed by a source who worked in the ANC provincial office.

“In essence, the ANC provincial leadership has instructed branches in Soweto to disrupt the EFF anniversary rally this Saturday.”

Ndlozi said this would not be the first time an EFF event was disrupted.

He said there had been many attempts to sabotage booking of venues which had resulted in EFF in some instances having to go to court.

“The ANC has also clandestinely sent thugs to torch EFF facilities under the cover of darkness on nights before EFF public events as it was the case in Thokoza.”

Kekana dismissed the allegations as pure politics and declined to give further comment.

“It is not worth talking about because there are (more) important things taking place in this country,” Kekana said.

Ndlozi said that in the past, police had failed to protect its members and the public from being attacked and harassed by those “doing so on behalf of the ANC”.

He called on EFF members to come to the rally prepared to defend their right to freedom of assembly.

“The anniversary rally has been properly organised through all lawful means and therefore those who disrupt it are the law breakers and they will meet the full might of the fighters,” Ndlozi said.

Sapa

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