Julius Malema’s call for “communities involved in protests to burn the offices of the African National Congress (ANC)” could be one of the first cases referred to the Electoral Court following Monday’s adoption of the Electoral Code of Conduct.
The ANC’s Zizi Kodwa said Malema’s “latest outrageous and disturbingly irresponsible public outburst…once again proves that the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader lacks the necessary maturity‚ wisdom and temperament to lead anything”.
Kodwa noted that on Monday “leaders of political parties contesting the local government elections signed the Electoral Code of Conduct” which “prohibits language that provokes violence‚ intimidation of candidates or voters; publishing of false information about other parties‚ plagiarising a party’s systems‚ abusing power‚ privilege or influence to influence the outcome of the election”.
“Malema’s reckless comments fly in the face of this code and the noble pledge to tolerance and campaigning free from intimidation. The ANC reserves its rights to recourse in this matter.”
He said Malema had‚ in Cape Town on Monday‚ “continued with his toxic campaign of destruction‚ hate and incitement of public violence and criminality — urging protesting communities like those of Vuwani to destroy the properties of the ANC rather than the schools”.
Recent violent demarcation protests in Vuwani have left more than 20 schools destroyed‚ and will be the subject of a snap debate in the National Assembly on Tuesday.
At Monday’s signing of the Electoral Code of Conduct‚ Independent Electoral Commission chairperson Glen Mashinini said it “must be subscribed to by all parties and candidates before they may contest the elections”…and that “the Electoral Court is the relevant authority to pursue contraventions of the code of conduct”.
Kodwa said that “for any South African‚ a parliamentarian for that matter‚ to use a public platform to call for more destruction and violence is reckless and a shameless demonstration of lack patriotism”.
“Advocating anarchy merely to score few votes is self-serving‚ unpatriotic and a danger to our democracy.”
Malema's call to burn ANC offices could be headed to Electoral Court
The ANC’s Zizi Kodwa said Malema’s “latest outrageous and disturbingly irresponsible public outburst…once again proves that the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader lacks the necessary maturity‚ wisdom and temperament to lead anything”.
Kodwa noted that on Monday “leaders of political parties contesting the local government elections signed the Electoral Code of Conduct” which “prohibits language that provokes violence‚ intimidation of candidates or voters; publishing of false information about other parties‚ plagiarising a party’s systems‚ abusing power‚ privilege or influence to influence the outcome of the election”.
“Malema’s reckless comments fly in the face of this code and the noble pledge to tolerance and campaigning free from intimidation. The ANC reserves its rights to recourse in this matter.”
He said Malema had‚ in Cape Town on Monday‚ “continued with his toxic campaign of destruction‚ hate and incitement of public violence and criminality — urging protesting communities like those of Vuwani to destroy the properties of the ANC rather than the schools”.
Recent violent demarcation protests in Vuwani have left more than 20 schools destroyed‚ and will be the subject of a snap debate in the National Assembly on Tuesday.
At Monday’s signing of the Electoral Code of Conduct‚ Independent Electoral Commission chairperson Glen Mashinini said it “must be subscribed to by all parties and candidates before they may contest the elections”…and that “the Electoral Court is the relevant authority to pursue contraventions of the code of conduct”.
Kodwa said that “for any South African‚ a parliamentarian for that matter‚ to use a public platform to call for more destruction and violence is reckless and a shameless demonstration of lack patriotism”.
“Advocating anarchy merely to score few votes is self-serving‚ unpatriotic and a danger to our democracy.”
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