The allegations are baseless and seek to tarnish the reputable name of the ANC. The ANC is focused and strongly believes that voters will affirm their vote (by electing the ANC).

This was the response by the ANC Peter Mokaba regional spokesperson in Limpopo, Jimmy Machaka, as quoted verbatim in the party’s defence against allegations that its members were caught in the act removing campaign placards of ActionSA in some areas of Ward 10.

The back-and-forth political rift is not alien, given the lead up to the by-election on January 25, which other political parties including the EFF and DA will also contest in various wards of Limpopo.

Mokaba’s response came after ActionSA opened a criminal case against the national ruling party on January 6 after claiming ActionSA members witnessed ANC-branded bakkies on December 31 in the vicinity of electrical poles, removing ActionSA posters from poles in Moletjie.

Upon being confronted by concerned community members, they are said to have refused putting the posters back up and retaliated with threats of violence.

ActionSA’s Limpopo chairperson Sello Lediga remarked that the behaviour undermines democratic processes and denies the constitutional rights of all people to participate in free and fair elections, which he, through the case, hopes would come to an end.

“Let the ANC heed this warning, we will not take this lying down. We have written to the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) to formally lay a complaint against the ANC, and we will be taking the matter further,” Lediga added.

Meanwhile, IEC’s provincial electoral officer Nkaro Mateta confirmed receipt of the complaint.

Mateta said the IEC will mediate between the two parties because they both occupy the same space. She lamented the sight of such an action.

“There is no justice in barring other people from campaigning, hence the IEC has always encouraged the spirit of tolerance among political parties and candidates,” Mateta added.