/ 3 May 2014

DA to appeal ‘food parcels’ court ruling

The Democratic Alliance (DA) said on Saturday that it would appeal a court dismissal of its application to prevent food parcels from the South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) allegedly being distributed at political rallies. 

“We will appeal that judgment in the electoral court in Bloemfontein, also on an urgent basis, because this abuse has got to stop,” said DA MP James Selfe. 

He said the party was waiting to receive the reasons for judgment. 

On Friday, the Cape Town high court dismissed, with costs, an application by the DA to interdict Sassa and the ANC from providing food parcels that it claimed were being given out at political events – including one in Atlantis – as an incentive to vote for the ruling party.

The ANC on Saturday welcomed the court’s dismissal, saying it believed the ruling was a “major blow to the DA’s desperate attempts to cling to power in the Western Cape”. – Sapa