Former president Jacob Zuma's Umkhonto weSizwe Party (MK Party) has filed urged papers with the Electoral Court over President Cyril Ramaphosa's address to the nation on Sunday night.
In a statement released on Tuesday, the MK Party accused Ramaphosa of flouting the Electoral Code of Conduct that “prohibits any candidate or party from abusing a position of power to influence the outcome of elections”.
“Given the massive legal team around him, it is our contention that Ramaphosa has knowingly misused his presidential office to deploy state resources in a manner that unfairly benefits his corrupt and desperate political party, the [African National Congress] ANC,” said MK Party spokesperson, Nhlamulo Ndhlela.
“This includes the national broadcaster and other public media outlets, which were disingenuously used to broadcast an election campaign speech, which he used throughout his dismal campaign under the guise of a national address.”
The party said Ramaphosa's actions cannot be understated.
“By leveraging state infrastructure for partisan gain, Ramaphosa and his ANC have not only undermined the principles of fair play and equity essential to democratic competition but also potentially skewed the electorate's perception right before the national elections on Wednesday,” Ndhlela said.
Ndhlela added that in the MK Party's affidavit, it requested the Electoral Court to cancel the ANC's registration as a political party and to initiate criminal proceedings against Ramaphosa "with penalties severe enough to reflect the seriousness of the infringement, including potential imprisonment.
“The MK Party is committed to a free, fair, and transparent electoral process.”
Meanwhile, the Democratic Alliance said it would also file action against Ramaphosa.
DA leader, John Steenhuisen, accused Ramaphosa of desecrating the presidency.
“His desecration of the office of President of the Republic also confirms that Ramaphosa is panicked, because he has finally realised that the people are about to hold the ANC to account for the corruption, misrule and hardship they have inflicted upon the people of South Africa,” Steenhuisen said.
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