Food parcels and other state resources should not be used for political campaigning in needy communities during local government elections‚ says Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa.
“We should not be advancing party political interests through state resources because they are there for all people in South Africa‚” Ramaphosa said.
He was responding to a parliamentary question about the use of state resources by government officials during their party campaigning.
Recently‚ Public Protector Thuli Madonsela found that in Cape Town in December 2009‚ former ANC Youth League president Julius Malema distributed South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) food parcels and pledged a R100 000 Sassa statutory grant to a prominent ANC member‚ Rossie Classe.
She found that the ANCYL organised the event‚ not Sassa nor the former Minister of Social Development‚ Edna Molewa‚ as had been claimed.
However‚ Madonsela found that the food parcels were not purchased but had been sourced by Sassa.
According to the Public Protector‚ although the food parcels were not bought but sourced by the agency‚ they were state resources and distributing them at a political party event constituted abuse of state resources.
Ramaphosa told MPs, “… only recipients who qualify for social relief in terms of our law will receive it and only departmental or Sassa staff will be the ones who distribute it”.
Food parcels are off limits for election campaigning
“We should not be advancing party political interests through state resources because they are there for all people in South Africa‚” Ramaphosa said.
He was responding to a parliamentary question about the use of state resources by government officials during their party campaigning.
Recently‚ Public Protector Thuli Madonsela found that in Cape Town in December 2009‚ former ANC Youth League president Julius Malema distributed South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) food parcels and pledged a R100 000 Sassa statutory grant to a prominent ANC member‚ Rossie Classe.
She found that the ANCYL organised the event‚ not Sassa nor the former Minister of Social Development‚ Edna Molewa‚ as had been claimed.
However‚ Madonsela found that the food parcels were not purchased but had been sourced by Sassa.
According to the Public Protector‚ although the food parcels were not bought but sourced by the agency‚ they were state resources and distributing them at a political party event constituted abuse of state resources.
Ramaphosa told MPs, “… only recipients who qualify for social relief in terms of our law will receive it and only departmental or Sassa staff will be the ones who distribute it”.
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