The Democratic Alliance (DA) and the uMkhonto Wesizwe (MK) Party have vowed to file urgent applications in the Electoral Court against African National Congress (ANC) President Cyril Ramaphosa, citing Ramaphosa in his personal capacity for violating the Electoral Code of Conduct.

This after Ramaphosa addressed the nation on Sunday evening, ahead of the 2024 elections.

DA leader John Steenhuisen noted that under the guise of delivering an address to the nation, Ramaphosa violated the Electoral Code of Conduct when he “abused” the highest office in the land for “flagrant electioneering”.

He said Ramaphosa’s “manipulation” was “cynical, calculated and designed” to influence the outcome of the election by providing the ANC with unearned airtime not made available to any other party contesting the election.

“Not for the first time, Ramaphosa has chosen his corrupt political party over South Africa. As the President, he should have known better and must be held to account. This type of abuse cannot be allowed by anyone,” he said.

Steenhuisen noted the Code as contained in the Electoral Act, which he said stated expressly that “no person 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”.

“…but 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,” he explained.

Steenhuisen highlighted that through his violation of the Electoral Act, Ramaphosa had clearly “signalled” that the ANC was prepared to undermine the country’s constitutional democracy to try and cling to power.

This, he said should serve as an urgent warning to all of the country’s democratic institutions, including the Independent Electoral Commission.

“If Ramaphosa is willing to abuse his office for narrow political gain even before the ANC has lost its majority, what else will he be willing to do to subvert the will of the people and cling to power after voters take away the ANC’s majority on Wednesday?” said Steenhuisen.

He added that Ramaphosa’s latest abuse followed after he signed the National Health Insurance Act into law in a “populist political stunt” that similarly reeked of what he termed desperation.

“The gimmicks that have defined the ANC’s election campaign only serve to confirm why both Ramaphosa and the ANC are patently unfit to remain in office,” explained Steenhuisen.

The MK Party highlighted that it was their contention that Ramaphosa had knowingly misused his Presidential office to deploy State resources in a manner that “unfairly” benefited his “corrupt and desperate” political party, the ANC.

The party noted that the “desperation and gravity” of 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 scheduled for May 29,” highlighted MK Party.

In its affidavit, the party request 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.