Reports today that Bosasa (now African Global Operations) set up ANC election ‘war rooms’ at their Krugersdorp HQ over the past three elections - to the tune of R6 million - shows once again the corrupt, mutually beneficial relationship between the ANC and Bosasa that has existed for the past 20 years.

These Bosasa-funded war rooms were used by the ANC to campaign ahead of the 2011, 2014 and 2016 elections, and included a R400 000 screen wall to track election results; R450 000 worth of computers and software licensing; a R14 000 weekly phone bill; 30 cubicles and telephones; R210 000 for food and drinks and software for 70 volunteers; and R700 000 in office security and volunteer payment all footed by Bosasa.

The fact that this shameless corrupt relationship between the ANC and Bosasa sought to interfere with electoral outcomes requires immediate action from the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC).

Therefore, the Democratic Alliance (DA) will today write to the Chairperson of the IEC, Mr Glen Mashinini, requesting a full-scale investigation into this matter. We are of the view that this conduct is in contravention of Section 9(e) of the Electoral Code of Conduct, which states that:

“No registered party or candidate may abuse a position of power, privilege or influence, including parental, patriarchal, traditional or employment authority to influence the conduct or outcome of an election”.

The IEC must also assure the people of South Africa that such dirty tricks will not play themselves out in this year’s election on 8 May – an election the ANC knows it may very well lose.

The reality is that the relationship between the ANC and Bosasa is “corruption 101” - an abuse of power to mutually benefit both parties. Bosasa gives money to ANC officials, including President Ramaphosa himself, and in turn the ANC in government hands lucrative tenders to Bosasa worth billions of rands. It is this corrupt relationship that also leads to individuals like the President’s son, Andile Ramaphosa, striking multi-million rand business deals with Bosasa.

President Ramaphosa’s failure to act on this matter despite the evidence at hand is deeply suspicious. If the President is truly intent on dealing with corruption within the ANC and government, he should:

• Institute a full-scale independent inquiry - headed by a retired judge to be selected by the Chief Justice - to fully investigate the Bosasa scandal, which now involves the President and his family;
• Instruct his Cabinet to audit all government contracts and deals with Bosasa;
• Instruct his Cabinet to cancel all existing government contracts with Bosasa; and
• Make public his son Andile’s business contract(s) with Bosasa, which he told Parliament he has personally seen.

We urge the President to stop talking and start acting on corruption – even when it implicates his own family

The system of corruption in the ANC was not simply a feature of Jacob Zuma and the Gupta family. Corruption is in the very DNA of the ANC, and the party must be removed from office in order to defeat corruption once and for all.

Issued by The DA