DA leader Mmusi Maimane.
An SMS suggesting that the ANC and EFF are set to take over private homes, and which links back to the DA website, was issued by national structures, the party said on Sunday.
Earlier in the day, DA national spokesperson Refiloe Nt’sekhe told News24 that the SMS was “not an official message” from the party.
The SMS reads: “ANC & EFF working together to take all private land and homes. You can only stop this if you’re registered correctly to vote! Check now.”
A link to a section where you can check your registration status on the DA’s website is then given.
The DA’s Mabine Seabe told the Mail & Guardian that they stand by the SMS, arguing that it was important that citizens knew the policy options with regards to land that they could vote for in the 2019 general elections.
Seabe said that the DA has had “the highest levels of success when it comes to land reform”. Arguing that in the Western Cape, there has been a 62% success rate in land reform projects.
Earlier on Sunday, Nt’sekhe said that she did not know if perhaps an individual councillor might have sent the SMS out – but if so, they should have checked its suitability with national structures.
“We don’t have a campaign like that; it’s deviating from our national message” she said – adding that party leader Mmusi Maimane had issued a video message for the voter registration weekend.
“We never said the EFF is taking land from your homes; we said with regards to land, we must be careful because [the EFF and ANC] are saying it will be owned by the state and we support individual ownership of the land.”
Maimane’s official statement, issued on Saturday, steers clear of the land issue:
“I want to thank every single South African for going out to register to vote and to check your details…
“I also want to thank all the DA activists, staff members, professional staff, constituency heads – South Africans who have dedicated themselves to a cause of seeing a society where all South African can share in the benefits of freedom, where no South African will be judged on the basis of the colour of their skin,” he continues.
“These are South Africans that I owe a great deal of gratitude towards. I wish you all strength and let’s continue to register tomorrow.
“See you then. Amandla,” he concludes.— News 24
This article has been updated with latest information from the Democratic Alliance