This year is fast becoming the year of the billboards as political parties pull out all the stops in their bid to woo voters for the upcoming general and provincial elections.
While the DA remains defiant and has said it would not take down a billboard which bears the words: “The ANC is killing us”, the ruling party has taken its electioneering poster down from an East London school.
The large ANC billboard at Selborne College was erected two weeks ago showing a picture of President Cyril Ramaphosa in ANC colours with a “Vote ANC” sign.
The billboard has since been removed.
Section 33A of the Schools Act states that, “a school may not allow the display of material of a party-political nature on its premises unless such party-political material is related to the curriculum at the school”.
In a statement on Thursday, DA MPL Edmund van Vuuren said he had written to education MEC Mlungisi Mvoko for his immediate intervention to have the billboard removed.
“That the failing ANC has erected this billboard on school grounds shows, once again, the party’s blatant disregard for the rule of law in their desperate attempt to secure votes,” he said.
ANC provincial secretary Lulama Ngcukayitobi said the party had not received any complaints from the DA about the billboard.
The DA received widespread criticism for its billboard in Johannesburg bearing the names of people who were mercilessly gunned down in the Marikana massacre, the victims of the Life Esidimeni tragedy and the children who drowned in pit latrines.
The ANC has officially complained to the IEC regarding the billboard and the families of the Life Esidimeni victims are considering suing the DA.
Party leader Mmusi Maimane has said the billboard will not be taken down...