The ANC’s election strategy and tactics have assumed striking similarities to those adopted by Robert Mugabe’s Zanu-PF prior to the controversial March 29 elections last year. Zanu-PF used fear and political violence to demoralise and make it difficult for the MDC to challenge their political hegemony. That the ANC is desperate is an open secret and has become clearer in its electioneering. The abuse of state resources to advance nefarious ends against other political parties is becoming much too common.
Robert Mugabe used law-enforcement agencies led by Zanu-PF apologists against the opposition and ensured that those opposed to the Zanu-PF did not receive adequate protection. The Congress of the People (COPE) has on countless occasions raised the issue of the police being affiliated to trade unions, which are aligned to the ruling party, and that their objectivity and independence are compromised as the need to please the master supersedes the constitutional duty to protect all citizens.
Following the violence in Nongoma, KwaZulu-Natal, Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) leader Mangosuthu Buthelezi accused the police of brutilising members of his party on instructions from Safety and Security MEC Bheki Cele. Buthelezi said “IFP supporters were summarily tear-gassed and shot at with rubber bullets without provocation when they attempted to access their election campaign destination on foot”.
Since COPE was launched the ANC has ensured that the new party’s attempts to campaign and attract voters have been frustrated at every turn. COPE was denied venues, had, and continues to have, its gathering disrupted by unruly hooligans belonging to the ANC. ANC leaders continuously render lip service, condemning this political intolerance though it appears they cheer these hooligans behind the scenes to continue as they have done.
It is rather cheeky for the ANC to now complain about political intolerance when they have been instigating such intolerance since Polokwane. ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe is correct in saying that “everybody must be able to campaign everywhere in the country” but he must also be reminded that deliberately holding ANC rallies in close vicinity to other parties’ rallies is fomenting unnecessary tension and violence. The ANC must accept responsibility for deliberately creating conditions that are not conducive for free and fair elections. United Democratic Movement leader Bantu Holomisa was correct in saying “this strategy seems deliberately designed to heighten political temperatures”.
In responding to the violence Jacob Zuma said “I am very concerned about the attacks. The matter will be taken to the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC)”. This man needs to be reminded that it is his henchmen who are intimidating and inciting violence in an already tense environment.
The IEC is also failing in its duty. Chief electoral officer Pansy Tlakula said “we are obviously concerned because it is going to be very difficult for us to conduct free and fair elections in an atmosphere where there is violence and a lack of political tolerance”. Of course we’re all concerned but what in the name of constitutional democracy is the IEC doing to fulfil its mandate in terms of the Electoral Commission Act 51 of 1996, particularly the promotion of conditions conducive for free and fair elections. The ANC is continuing to flout the electoral code of conduct and the IEC opts to use the ridiculous excuse of not having the election date confirmed. If the IEC cannot act against his increasing hooliganism, because the election date has not been announced, how do they get to have voter registration weekends?
Tlakula needs to start taking his job seriously and read the Electoral Code of Conduct, specifically section 9(2) which prohibits any person from offering “any inducement or reward to another person, (i) to join or not to join a party; (ii) to attend or not to attend a public meeting, march, demonstration, rally or other public political event; (iii) to vote or not to vote, or to vote or not to vote in any particular way; or (iv) to refuse a nomination as a candidate or to withdraw as a candidate … ”
The ANC has consistently violated this code of conduct. The ANC has used food parcels as an electioneering tool, held music bashes to entice voters to their rallies and ANCYL leader Julius Malema has distributed shoes in Limpopo. In Gugulethu residents were allegedly told that “there is no voting (election) today because the ANC candidates are not on the ballot paper … you cannot vote, that’s the decision”. These are some of the countless violations of the electoral code of conduct by the ANC and the IEC’s failure to act against the ruling party. There is enough ground for other political parties to declare the elections results as not free and fair.
The ANC is determined to protect its political hegemony, whether by hook or crook, and they sure have no shortage of crooks. The ANC election message is beginning to make much sense: “Working together we can do more (to intimidate other parties)”.
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