Why involve Zanu PF ‘rigging masters’ — fumes SA opposition as ANC invites Zim ruling elite to help mobilise voters

Build One South Africa (BOSA) leader, Mmusi Maimane has condemned the African National Congress (ANC) following revelations foreign political party Zanu PF had been invited to campaign ahead of this month’s crucial national and provincial elections.

This comes after ANC first deputy secretary-general, Nomvulo Mokonyane announced that ANC had invited Zimbabwe’s ruling party, Zanu-PF, to campaign on its behalf, and participate as an observer mission during the elections.

ANC and Zanu PF’s relationship is historic dating back to Zimbabwe’s liberation war and apartheid in SA.

The general elections will be held on May 29, 2024 to elect a new National Assembly as well as the provincial legislature in each of the nine provinces.

However, Maimane rapped the ANC for invitating Zanu-PF, stating that the only lessons ANC could learn from Zimbabwe’s ruling party was how to manipulate elections, and betray the trust of South Africans.

He reiterated Zanu-PF’s track record of rigging elections and disregarding the aspirations of its people is not something the ANC should be seeking to emulate or support.

“It is now widely accepted that Zanu PF rigs elections in Zimbabwe to favour itself and to continue its misrule of the country.

“Zanu PF has used fear, intimidation, violence and suppression of and against the people of Zimbabwe.

“It has presided over an autocratic, authoritarian and repressive regime, trampling on democratic rights of Zimbabweans.

“It is unsurprising that the ANC is a bedfellow of Zanu PF, considering it too is desperate to cling onto power at any cost.

“We reject this with the contempt it deserves and wish to tell Zanu PF they are not welcome in South Africa,” he said

Maimane expressed concern over the toxic relationship between Zanu PF and the ANC, stating that it is troubling.

He criticised the ANC for its failure to effectively address the issues in Zimbabwe, particularly through its policy of quiet diplomacy indicating that there will chaos if Zanu PF continues to meddle in politics in the neighbouring country.

“If Zanu-PF continues to have influence on the ANC we will no longer have free and fair elections. They will learn bad tricks from Zanu PF. They do not even know how to count votes,” he alleged.