Maimane accuses ANC of malicious bid to create chaos

DA leader Mmusi Maimane has accused the ANC of a “malicious and calculated” attempt to render DA-run cities ungovernable in the lead-up to the May 8 elections and called on the police and IEC to intervene immediately.

He told a media conference in Johannesburg on Sunday the “ANC-orchestrated anarchy” was aimed at shifting attention from its failure in government over the past 25 years.

“It appears that the likelihood of the party losing power in key parts of the country on May 8 has now firmly panicked the ANC‚ as it has now resorted to desperate and dangerous socalled ‘shutdown’ protests in DA-run governments spanning the past two weeks.

“While these violent protests were intended to appear organic and communitydriven‚ it has become embarrassingly evident the protests have been initiated and sustained by the ANC‚” he said.

Starting in Alexandra on April 3‚ the “shutdowns” had spread to other DA-run governments‚ including other parts of Joburg, areas in Tshwane and Cape Town and Caledon‚ also in the Western Cape‚ he said.

“There remain threats of further ‘shutdown’ protests.

“This cheap‚ dangerous politicking is not being carried out by a few rogue elements in the ANC,” Maimane said.

“It is the party’s election campaign strategy‚ endorsed and approved by President Cyril Ramaphosa himself.

“This is evidenced by his decision to go to Alex – the epicentre of these violent protests – to campaign in ANC colours

... and attempt to blame mayor Herman Mashaba for the service delivery failures of the ANC over the past 25 years.”

Maimane said he would again approach national police commissioner General Khehla Sitole for an urgent meeting.

He would also request to meet with IEC chair Glen Mashinini, and write to National Assembly speaker Baleka Mbete‚ “requesting the urgent establishment of an ad hoc joint committee ... to consider this matter”. –