Cape Town — The judgement in the Democratic Alliance’s (DA) legal challenge against President Cyril Ramaphosa’s controversial address on 26 May has been reserved, the court ruled.
The DA had taken the ANC to court over Ramaphosa’s address to the nation on 26 May, which took place just two days before the country’s general elections.
The party took to the Electoral Court sitting at the Johannesburg High Court and argued that Ramaphosa had abused his power and public funds to push for more votes for the ANC.
According to SABC News, the counsel had argued on behalf of the president that he had submitted that the DA did not properly interpret the provisions of the legislation that the party has relied on. Advocate Ngawo Maenetje said the Act only makes provision for an abuse of power, not an incidental benefit for the ANC.
If the president used the occasion for a proper or authorised purpose, but it could incidentally also benefit the ANC, one can’t say there is a prohibition,” argued Maenetje. He said that Ramaphosa did not intend for the address to come across as a campaign ad for the ANC.
The Electoral Court will hear @Our_DA’s challenge against President #Ramaphosa for his address to the nation on the 26th of May. The party argues that the address was aimed at garnerning votes for the ANC & wants its votes to be reduced by 1% #sabcnews | #UmbusiLeadershipSpeaker https://t.co/NvzVvHqLay
— Umbusi Leadership Speaker (@umbusiziqalo) July 25, 2024
Ramaphosa answered the same in his defence affidavit, and he reiterated that the speech was not to drum support for the ANC. He rubbished claims that there were any ulterior motives, IOL reported.
“President Cyril Ramaphosa has rubbished claims that his May 26th speech was delivered with an ulterior motive, saying it was aimed at assuring the public about peaceful elections.”
“The Democratic Alliance (DA) says Ramaphosa’s speech was a thinly veiled political campaign that violated the Electoral Code of Conduct.”
DA representative, Advocate Anthony Stein, said parts of Ramaphosa’s speech were presidential and others were political.
The ANC notes the court process initiated by the DA against the televised address by the President of the Republic, Comrade Cyril Ramaphosa, on the 26th of May 2024. pic.twitter.com/3PDW80mzt3
— African National Congress (@MYANC) July 25, 2024
According to EWN, The ANC said the DA’s challenge was an “unnecessary distraction” and Ramaphosa and the party fervently denied the DA’s claims.
“The ANC reiterates that the President of the Republic has not only the right but also the constitutional obligation to inform the public about matters of public interest.”
“This constitutional duty knows no bounds of time or day and remains in effect for as long as a person holds the office of President of the Republic by the Constitution of South Africa,” the ANC’s Zuko Godlimpi, said.
Godlimpi added that Ramaphosa did not violate any laws by “fulfilling his constitutional mandate.”
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Compiled by Matthew Petersen
