JOHANNESBURG – The African National Congress (ANC) has laid an official complaint with the Independent Electoral Commission regarding the Democratic Alliance (DA)’s controversial election billboard in the Johannesburg CBD.
The party has been widely criticized for the board which was unveiled this week showing the words “The ANC is killing us” with the names of the Life Esidimeni victims and Marikana miners.
The billboard was ripped apart on Thursday.
The IEC’s chief electoral officer Sy Mamabolo says the matter of the billboard is before its national party liaison committee after the ANC laid a complaint.
“We gave the national party liaison committee an opportunity to go and reflect on the matter. In particular, the likely impact of this type of campaigning on the climate in which the election is going to be happening.”
Mamabolo says while the publication of the names is not directly dealt with within electoral law some have been left angry.
He says while the IEC encourages robust electioneering, parties should keep their campaigns clean.
“But obviously, the families are aggrieved about it and I’m sure as agreed the national party liaison committee [sic].”