Who is removing AgangSA posters

Who is removing AgangSA posters

By BRIAN KAJENGO

 Agang SA branches across the Western Cape are reporting wide spread removal of their posters from mainly colored residential areas by parties that are as yet unknown.

The areas targeted are: Grassy Park, Lotus River, Lavender Hill, and Parkwood.

Agang SA posters along Robert Sobukwe Drive and the M5 have also been removed and crudely stuffed into roadside bushes.

The Cape Central Branch of the party reports that posters placed at the N1 and N2 entrance have removed but have replaced. And posters in Macassar have also removed.

At a meeting of the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) Western Cape recently, in a heated discussion it suggested that City of Cape Town contractors were removing party political posters with the exception of those of the Democratic Alliance.

Agang SA leader, Dr Mamphela Ramphele says, “We cannot say who is taking our posters down, and we at this stage cannot point fingers at city contractors or anyone specific, but someone is certainly worried about the impact we are having in the Western Cape.

We have taken measures to trap these culprits and will be alerting the Independent Electoral Commission and the police about this breach in the electoral code of conduct and malicious damage to property respectively."

“Clearly, besides being worried about Agang SA, for what else can their reason be, these undemocratic allies have no regard for the country and our democracy. All they want, it seems, is to ensure victory by any means. The stupidity of these actions only confirms that voters are turning away from parties that have failed them and whose failures are being questioned by citizens, and who are therefore losing ground ahead of May 7th, to come to Agang SA,” says Ramphele.

Agang SA posters are also being removed in Kempton Park and Sandton, in Gauteng, says Ramphele, but on a smaller scale. Agang SA in the Eastern Cape has also seen some of its posters removed.

“The fact that these actions have occurred over the last week in three different provinces with essentially the same voter demographic in each could suggest a coordinated action by one party,” says Ramphele.

“The clue to who the culprits could be rests is who stands to lose most in the areas where the posters were removed. We have our suspicions and will be publically addressing the party concerned when we have gathered proof,” says Ramphele.  

Ramphele concludes that the removal of Agang SA posters be seen as a part of the general action to reduce the party’s visibility and may be part of a general strategy that has also seen the party struggle to access community halls to hold meetings in the Western Cape.