Ramaphosa says DA tried to sell SA to USA
Ramaphosa says the DA letter to the US government is “quite disingenuous” and a veiled attempt to sell our democracy.
African National Congress (ANC) President Cyril Ramaphosa says the Democratic Alliance’s (DA) letter to the United States (US) government is “quite disingenuous” and a veiled attempt to sell our democracy.
The DA, the official opposition party, wrote a letter to the US and the European Union (UN) asking they could become international observers of South Africa’s upcoming national and provincial elections in May.
‘ALMOST TRYING TO SELL OUR COUNTRY’ – RAMAPHOSA
“The DA’s letter to the United States government is quite disingenuous, and it is almost trying to sell our country to other powers in the world,” said Ramaphosa while speaking at the party’s election campaign in Ekurhuleni over the weekend.
He said regional organisations such as Southern African Development Community (SADC), the African Union (AU) and the United Nations (UN) have been monitoring our elections for years.
“They always come to monitor our elections, and now for a non-state entity to sell our democracy,” Ramphosa said, according to SABC News.
ANC OUTRAGED BUT NOT SURPRISED – SAYS BHENGU-MOTSIRI
ANC spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu-Motsiri says they are outraged that political parties are now appealing to foreign governments to interfere in SA’s electoral processes.
“We don’t even know what the basis of these tantrums by the DA is. Firstly, it’s not surprising for us as the ANC. What do you expect from a party that wants to have international relations powers?”
“What do you expect from a party whose leader talks about the war in Gaza saying that one man’s genocide is another man’s freedom. What do you expect about protecting the sovereignty on SA to be able to run a free and fair elections without the interference of any powers in the west and the global north?,” she said.
DA CALLS IT INTERNATIONAL BEST PRACTISE
However, Emma Powell, the DA’s shadow minister for International Relations, has defended her letter, saying it’s international best practice.
“It is international best practice throughout most of the world that international observers and election monitors are sent during any key election to monitor the systems and processes of elections to ensure a free and fair outcome,” she said, as reported by Eyewitness News.
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