Agang donor’s influence worries ANC

Cape Town 130128 Mamphela Ramphele with Helen Zille at the Townhouse Hotel in Cape Town. Mamphela Ramphele was anounced as the DA presidencial candidate for the 2014 elections. Photo by Michael Walker

Cape Town 130128 Mamphela Ramphele with Helen Zille at the Townhouse Hotel in Cape Town. Mamphela Ramphele was anounced as the DA presidencial candidate for the 2014 elections. Photo by Michael Walker

Published Feb 4, 2014

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Johannesburg - It was worrying that the DA and Agang SA merger was spurred on by an international donor, the ANC said on Tuesday.

African National Congress spokesman Jackson Mthembu said it seemed as if the parties had bowed to the pressure of donors in order to get financial backing.

“What is most worrying for the ANC is the public admission by the leaders of the two parties that these foreign elements, using their financial resources as leverage, are able to dictate to them how they should structure their organisation, who should lead them, who they should fight with and of necessity, we must assume, what policies they should pursue,” said Mthembu.

Democratic Alliance leader Helen Zille said many donors had called for a merger between her party and Agang SA.

“We have many, many donors, many individuals and many voters who wanted this,” Zille said on Tuesday.

“Many wanted to know why we don't get together with (Agang SA leader Mamphela) Ramphele... they (donors) were asking why we were different parties.”

She said the donors had wanted a strong opposition party to defeat the ANC in the upcoming general elections.

Speaking to Talk Radio 702, Zille said the only reason she wanted the merger was to change the perceptions of South Africans.

“The bottom line was that I wanted to do this merger because I thought Mamphela Ramphele as our presidential candidate would... destroy perceptions once and for all that the DA would bring back apartheid if we came to power,” she said.

The ANC hoped that the international influence seen in this incident was not a reflection of how matters were handled by the parties.

“It would be particularly concerning if South Africans could not trust that the leadership, views and any other proposals of the DA and Agang were of their own making, derived from the reflection of their conscience and interest in moving South Africa forward; but rather that these parties regurgitate sponsored views of nameless foreign donors,” said Mthembu.

Last Tuesday the DA announced Ramphele would be its presidential candidate for the elections. Confusion arose on Friday when Ramphele said she had not agreed to become a DA member.

On Sunday evening the DA said Ramphele had backtracked on their agreement.

Sapa

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