Local government assets used for ANC election campaign?

SHARPEVILLE.– A portion of Sharpeville community members complained that they were misled into attending what they thought was a public meeting – only to find it was actually a meeting of the African National Congress (ANC) recently.

The members feel that state or government assets were misused for ANC-orientated meetings in the name of the public. A group of concerned opposition parties (residents) from Sharpeville marched to Sedibeng Ster offices to liaise about the Emfuleni municipal marked vehicle used in what was clearly ANC interests.

It is alleged by the residents that on a certain particular day, the wielder of a loud-hailer, Councillor Bobby Tatae was roaming around Ward 13 to inform the community that a public meeting was to take place at the Matsie-Steyn Primary School.

According to one of the community members, Mighty Machobane the meeting was not for public. “It was a ruling party meeting. The ANC used our state tax money to announce their meeting, which was clearly part of their election campaign. “We were all surprised and further chased out of the meeting, if we were not ANC members,” says Machobane. Another member of the group, Lydia Sethlatloli confirmed Machobane’s accusation. Both say the loud-hailer announced a public meeting but people only found out later that it was an ANC meeting.

The group says a formal complaint was lodged with Emfuleni Local Municipal (ELM) Speaker Maipato Tsokolibane who has not responded to their grievances. “Can the ANC use state assets for its own interests? We are not all ANC members. “We are first and foremost residents of Sedibeng and our first interest is in our community. Local elections are around the corner. “If ANC can do this, we as opposition party members ask for the same opportunities,” says another resident Donald Tontsi. Tatae could not be reached by the time of going to print as the community says the meeting was set by him. The ELM Speaker is said to be investigating the matter