‘We deliver f*k all to poor people’: poster

Tony Ehrenreich has apologised for the posters he displayed at a news conference. Picture: Mxolisi Madela

Tony Ehrenreich has apologised for the posters he displayed at a news conference. Picture: Mxolisi Madela

Published Apr 15, 2011

Share

Cosatu provincial secretary and ANC mayoral candidate Tony Ehrenreich has apologised for changing words on DA posters and using them as props at a press conference.

Ehrenreich apologised to the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) after displaying posters bearing DA colours and logos with slogans that read: “We deliver to all the rich people”, and “We deliver fok all to poor people.”

The Cape Argus asked the IEC to comment on the defaced poster unveiled by Ehrenreich at a press conference yesterday. Ehrenreich said he had subsequently been called by the IEC, explaining his transgression, and he had immediately apologised. No sanction was mentioned, however.

Last night the IEC said it wanted to nip the incident in the bud before “it gets out of hand”.

The IEC’s Courtney Sampson said Ehrenreich had apologised to him and said the incident was meant “in jest”.

Sampson said that in such instances the IEC would first address the matter with its conflict management team.

“We prefer to take on the question of legal issues as a last resort… what I am interested in is resolving issues before they get completely out of hand,” he said.

A poster committee, a sub-committee to the IEC’s party liaison committees, was set to have a meeting today where the matter would be raised, said Sampson.

Regarding the posters, Ehrenreich said: “It is the kind of thing that’s been floating around on Facebook for a while now.

“We would not want to fall foul of the Electoral Act. If we are found to have not complied in terms of the Electoral Act, then we apologise.”

Derrick Marco of the Election Monitoring Network, confirmed tampering with posters was against the code of conduct.

DA national spokeswoman Lindiwe Mazibuko said she was pleased the IEC had insisted Ehrenreich desist from defacing posters.

Ehrenreich hung up the posters before addressing the media yesterday about Cosatu’s views on the results of a customer satisfaction survey into the City of Cape Town.

l Additional reporting by Murray Williams - Cape Argus

Related Topics: