ANC dodging accountability over Tshwane violence

29 June 2016

With the worst of violence behind us that broke out over President Zuma’s imposed mayoral candidate, Thoko Didiza, an important question remains: when will the ANC take responsibility for the damage, destruction and loss of life?

To date no senior ANC officials have been arrested for their role in inciting the chaos in the Capital, despite assurances by State Security Minister, David Mahlobo, that arrests were imminent.

And the national ANC leadership, including President Zuma, have still not accepted responsibility for the violence that led to at least 5 deaths on behalf of the party that started it.

If the ANC and its alliance partners are serious about the devastating impact of the violence, they will immediately suspend all members suspected of stoking the fires the burned the Capital and lay criminal charges against all those found to be complicit.

On Sunday the SACP took the first step when it suspended five of its members on over their alleged involvement in the protests. They must now follow through and hand over the names to law enforcement authorities.

Political violence must be met with the harshest of sanctions and cannot simply be dismissed as an internal disciplinary issue.

But let me be clear: while those responsible must face the full force of the law, their prosecution does not detract from ANC’s fundamental culpability.

The violence experienced in Tshwane was undeniably of the ANC’s making, with even its alliance partners slamming them for causing the anarchy. The failure of President Zuma and the ANC to take responsibility is cowardly and the sign of a party that does not care about the people of Tshwane.

On August 3 we can bring change to Tshwane by replacing the ANC with a caring, honest and accountable DA government.

Issued by Motheo Mtimkulu, Media Manager, Tshwane Mayoral Campaign, 29 June 2016