The ANC has noted with uttermost disgust, the outrageous reporting on its candidates lists by certain section of the media.
While the ANC accept any fair criticism by members of the public and particularly the mass media, it finds it completely unacceptable that grossly inaccurate reporting is used to criticise democratic processes of the movement.
The outrage which followed the release of the ANC’s lists of candidates for Provincial Legislatures and the National Assembly is an attempt by the opposition and some of our media to portray the ANC as an organisation which has no morals.
Without even making efforts to check the facts, the media carried reports which suggest that certain people on the ANC lists have been convicted of crimes or corruption and therefore should not be on the lists. All of the people who the media and the opposition claim are unfit to hold public office are currently serving in various capacities as public representatives. If they were indeed convicted of the crimes we are told of they would not be in the positions they hold at present.
Despite having been cleared by the Public Protector of any wrong doing, Nkosazana Zuma has now been "convicted" by the opposition and sections of the media on charges of corruption.
Several members of Provincial Legislatures have also been "found guilty" of corruption by the opposition and sections of the media while allegations against them are still being investigated. Jaques Modipane was never suspended from the Mpumalanga Provincial Legislature as The Star newspaper incorrectly reported on Tuesday 16 February 1999.
What happens to the principle that any one accused of wrong doing should be presumed innocent until proven guilty? Have the mass media now arrogated themselves the role of the judiciary?
All candidates on the ANC lists for Provincial Legislatures and the National Assembly have been selected through an outlined list process which included close scrutiny of all candidates to ensure that they all comply with the criteria drawn up by the ANC.
Both the National List Committee and the Special Extended National Executive Committee are satisfied that all candidates on the list comply with the criteria. The Special Extended National Executive Committee approved the lists with a proviso that should any member of the ANC raise objections about any of the ANC candidates and provide information to prove that such candidate is not fit to be a public representative, the NEC has the power to remove such candidate from the list.
By Smuts Ngonyama
Head of ANC President’s Office
16 February 1999
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