Johannesburg - Democratic Alliance Gauteng premier candidate Solly Msimanga on Sunday laid criminal charges against the African National Congress for allegedly inciting violence in Alexandra in Johannesburg.
"Today [Sunday], I laid criminal charges against the ANC at the Alexandra police station for [allegedly] inciting violence in the community in order to influence the outcome of the general elections on 8 May," he said in a statement.
Masinga said he had presented the South African Police Service (SAPS) with "evidence of how the ANC was conspiring to instigate violence by coordinating plans with local affiliates on the ground to embark on violent protest actions and sow anarchy".
The DA had seen WhatsApp messages from a South African National Civic Organisation (Sanco) group, "where activities aimed against Johannesburg mayor Herman Mashaba were coordinated".
"Furthermore, we have seen a WhatsApp exchange where one of the organisers infers that their actions are being supported by the ANC. Further digging on social media revealed that the organisers were wearing ANC regalia," he said.
"The protest is being led by ANC ward councillors and not the legitimate community leadership who have raised issues with the City of Johannesburg. The councillors have resisted any attempt to hand over a memorandum to the City of Johannesburg and have blocked efforts by the city to hold meetings with community leadership.
"It is clear that the ANC are running scared of losing the elections on 8 May and will stop at nothing to hang on to power in Gauteng," Msimanga said.