The DA in the Eastern Cape has filed a complaint with Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) against two ANC members of parliament and an MEC for allegedly inciting violence.
In a letter to the IEC Eastern Cape head Thami Mraji, DA federal chairman Athol Trollip asked the IEC to investigate the conduct of ANC MPs Lulu Johnson and Tony Duba and of corporative governance and traditional affairs MEC Fikile Xasa.
Trollip accused them of breaching the Electoral Act and code of conduct after they allegedly incited violence while addressing different political gatherings in Nelson Mandela Bay Metro last month.
The IEC has yet to respond.
Trollip said yesterday the DA was “also considering approaching the Ethics Committee at both the provincial legislature and parliament” to investigate the conduct of the three.
The letter to the IEC refers to a media report last month in which Duba, Johnson and Xasa allegedly incited violence. These included:
lDuba, while delivering a message of support as Sanco’s provincial secretary at a memorial service, allegedly said: “The red and blue T-shirts are not wanted where we live”.
Blue is DA’s official colour and red is associated with the EFF.
lXasa is accused of also making threats of violence against DA members while delivering a keynote address during the ANC’s 104th birthday celebrations at Jeff Masemola Hall in Uitenhage a few weeks ago.
Xasa was quoted as saying: “The war has begun. When we leave here let us go and defend our branches.”
But Trollip said the greatest concern were the utterances made by Johnson, who allegedly encouraged ANC members and supporters at a recent memorial service to go to the DA offices in Njoli street and “deal with them”.
Trollip said a few weeks after Johnson’s utterances, the DA’s Ngqura constituency offices in KwaZakhele were broken into by armed men who fired a gunshot at DA activists and councillors before stealing cellphones and a bank card.
“In what seems to have been a well-orchestrated operation targeted specifically at the DA, the armed men knew exactly which individuals to target in order to steal their bank cards,” said Trollip.
In his submission to the IEC, Trollip stated that Johnson’s utterances were “an unveiled exhortation to violence at worst.
“We wish therefore that this matter be investigated immediately and that the necessary steps are taken to prevent this kind of rhetoric being used in the build up to this important election,” Trollip said.
“The DA will also hold the ANC and Mr Johnson jointly and severely liable if anything happens to members and our offices,” he added.
Mraji had not responded to e-mailed questions by the time of writing, except for acknowledging receipt of the questions. — zineg@dispatch.co.za
Conduct of ANC 3 under fire
In a letter to the IEC Eastern Cape head Thami Mraji, DA federal chairman Athol Trollip asked the IEC to investigate the conduct of ANC MPs Lulu Johnson and Tony Duba and of corporative governance and traditional affairs MEC Fikile Xasa.
Trollip accused them of breaching the Electoral Act and code of conduct after they allegedly incited violence while addressing different political gatherings in Nelson Mandela Bay Metro last month.
The IEC has yet to respond.
Trollip said yesterday the DA was “also considering approaching the Ethics Committee at both the provincial legislature and parliament” to investigate the conduct of the three.
The letter to the IEC refers to a media report last month in which Duba, Johnson and Xasa allegedly incited violence. These included:
lDuba, while delivering a message of support as Sanco’s provincial secretary at a memorial service, allegedly said: “The red and blue T-shirts are not wanted where we live”.
Blue is DA’s official colour and red is associated with the EFF.
lXasa is accused of also making threats of violence against DA members while delivering a keynote address during the ANC’s 104th birthday celebrations at Jeff Masemola Hall in Uitenhage a few weeks ago.
Xasa was quoted as saying: “The war has begun. When we leave here let us go and defend our branches.”
But Trollip said the greatest concern were the utterances made by Johnson, who allegedly encouraged ANC members and supporters at a recent memorial service to go to the DA offices in Njoli street and “deal with them”.
Trollip said a few weeks after Johnson’s utterances, the DA’s Ngqura constituency offices in KwaZakhele were broken into by armed men who fired a gunshot at DA activists and councillors before stealing cellphones and a bank card.
“In what seems to have been a well-orchestrated operation targeted specifically at the DA, the armed men knew exactly which individuals to target in order to steal their bank cards,” said Trollip.
In his submission to the IEC, Trollip stated that Johnson’s utterances were “an unveiled exhortation to violence at worst.
“We wish therefore that this matter be investigated immediately and that the necessary steps are taken to prevent this kind of rhetoric being used in the build up to this important election,” Trollip said.
“The DA will also hold the ANC and Mr Johnson jointly and severely liable if anything happens to members and our offices,” he added.
Mraji had not responded to e-mailed questions by the time of writing, except for acknowledging receipt of the questions. — zineg@dispatch.co.za
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