/ 22 January 2006

Poster removals upset ANC, DA

The African National Congress in the Western Cape and the Democratic Alliance in Pretoria reported on Saturday that both parties’ election posters were being removed.

The deputy provincial secretary of the ANC in the Western Cape, Max Ozinsky, said the party has learned that people putting up election posters in the city were allegedly removing ANC posters in the process.

”This unacceptable behaviour forced the ANC to report the matter to the Independent Electoral Commission and we are also considering laying a criminal charge against the people who were removing the posters,” said Ozinsky.

Meanwhile, the DA filed charges against five people on Saturday afternoon for allegedly removing DA election posters in Centurion.

Ward councillor Lance Coetzee said the charges were filed after a woman noticed five people removing posters.

”Election posters are expensive and we have set up teams of local spotters to monitor those we have already erected and will do so for those to come.

”As with the general election in 2004, we intend installing sensors on selected posters that will trigger an electronic alarm and bring our attention to potential hot spots of vandalism and theft of DA posters in this local government campaign,” Coetzee said. — Sapa