All’s fair in love and war, but South Africa has, until now been able to boast elections which are well-run and fair. No longer. As the ANC’s support begins to fade the party has begun to show its claws.
Using its control of the state the ANC is manipulating government spending to enhance its appeal. Hundreds of millions of Rands are being used to bolster the ANC’s appeal.
Worse still, its control over the state broadcaster, the SABC, has been used to cynically deny the opposition the right to have its voice heard. The SABC’s news coverage is blatantly biased, while it has now banned a key Democratic Alliance (DA) election broadcast.
The DA’s election ad can be judged by anyone who want to see it, who has access to a computer and the internet. But millions of poor South Africans are being denied the chance to make up their own minds.
Things are getting nasty – and it is not just the opposition that is complaining.
Intimidation and funding
This week a respected and independent NGO – CASE (Community Action for Social Enquiry) released a report accusing the ANC of intimidation and the improper use of the state resources.
The researchers found – and I quote – that “the research overwhelmingly pointed to the ANC as the primary source of intimidation in South Africa.”…
