Shaka Sisulu responds to "covert black-ops" allegations
I am deeply troubled by recent reports that I spearheaded a "covert black-ops" unit allegedly commissioned by the ANC to discredit the opposition in the 2016 municipal elections.
These reports are inherently false, exaggerated and no doubt intended to discredit, in part my reputation, and most significantly the name of the African National Congress (ANC).
It is common knowledge that I have volunteered my time and my abilities for and on behalf of the ANC. I have done so in every election campaign for the past 18 years.
I am not and shall never be apologetic for any contribution I make to the ANC.
As volunteers for the ANC, our role is to promote the values and virtues of the movement to potential voters; not to discredit the opposition. As volunteers we are not paid, all of us hundreds of thousands of volunteers participate for the love of the ANC. This is something that the ANC has appreciated and taken great pride in.
As volunteers we are made aware of the provisions of the electoral code and are careful to not break the law in our electioneering work.
To do the work of electioneering, we as volunteers use our own resources, and where these need to be supplemented we ask for donations and sponsorships from other ANC supporters. I have never witnessed or heard of any volunteers receiving an amount of R 50 million or anything remotely close to that. This R 50 million figure that news reports have bandied about is clearly the figment of someone's imagination.
Many of these false claims supposedly emanate from documentation attached to a civil case against the ANC. Not being privy to the source of the claims, I can only comment on what the news reports speak to; but I am certain that given an opportunity to represent myself in the said court matter, I would be able to dispel many of the spurious allegations that have emerged.
Whilst I did work briefly with the complainant as part of a media team it was certainly not a covert, "black-ops" unit. I neither possess the skill nor the knowledge of what a "black-ops operation is.
I can only assume that the case itself accompanied by news reports that came out before the matter even went before the court was intended to extort money from the ANC.
It saddens me that this case is being used to tarnish my family name, my reputation, and the work that I do for the ANC
I would like to thank the many people who have reached out to me offering support over the past day. Your continued belief and confidence in the work that I do and contribution I make is greatly appreciated.
Shaka Sisulu
Johannesburg, 25 January 2017
