This after Sanral spokesperson Vusi Mona issued a statement, accusing the party for using e-tolling as an electioneering strategy, adding that it continuously misrepresented the facts to win votes in next year’s elections.
Outa Chairman, Wayne Duvenage, said such statements were worrying as they blurred the line of separation between party and state.
“Sanral is an organ of state and its job is to provide services to citizens irrespective of their political affiliation. By making statements on the political activities of a political party, Sanral is drawing an organ of state into the political arena and thereby undermining our democracy,” said Duvenage.
He said all political parties were free to comment on the actions of state-owned enterprises, be it e-tolls, arms procurement, energy generation and state expenditure on private properties.
“This is the space of political and civil action entities that forms part of healthy democratic discourse. If the DA, Agang, UDM or other political entities are able to convince voters that they would be able to direct Sanral or other state-owned entities in a manner more beneficial to the country’s citizens than the current ruling party, they are quite entitled to do so,” he said.
Duvenage said it was unacceptable for state-run organisations to become politically aligned.
“They should answer the queries and give facts but never enter the space of political mudslinging.”
