The Democratic Alliance (DA) and RISE Mzansi have both expressed dissatisfaction with reports that the African National Congress (ANC) has reached out to Zanu-PF in Zimbabwe to be observers in South Africa’s May 29 elections.  

The DA said the move from the ANC was a “desperate attempt to hang on to power by any means necessary”, adding that Zanu-PF’s assistance would “contaminate” South Africa’s electoral process.

“The ANC’s invitation to Zanu-PF asking them to come and be part of their election campaign programme amounts to political interference with our elections. This compromises the Electoral Code of Conduct that all political parties swore to uphold. Zanu-PF does not deserve to even act as an observer to the May elections because this is the same political party that has repeatedly violated Zimbabwe’s electoral laws to stay in power. They have burnt Zimbabwe to ashes and should not be brought anywhere near what is the most consequential election in South Africa since the dawn of democracy,” said the DA national spokesperson Solly Malatsi.

The DA will file a complaint with South Africa’s Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) for “political interference”, citing potential harm of the credibility of the election outcome.

“The DA will do everything in our power to ensure that Zanu-PF is barred from interfering in our elections and is stopped from playing any role in observing the electoral process on 29 May. Zanu-PF has rigged Zimbabwe’s elections many times over, they will not do it here in South Africa,” Malatsi said.

Meanwhile, RISE Mzansi national spokesperson Gugu Ndima pointed out that Zimbabwe had a history of election interference, election violence and political intolerance and said it was “shocking” that the ANC would “cozy up" with Zanu-PF.

However, she said it was expected from the ANC, which she said was losing legitimacy among voters.

But, she also hit back at the DA, saying the ANC approaching Zanu-PF was no different to the DA approaching the US for election observers.

“This must, in the same breath, be condemned as a stunt and part of the DA’s ploy to ingratiate itself in US politics, which are also marked by elections controversy. As RISE Mzansi we fully support the standard practice of having election observers, whether they come from Zimbabwe or the US, but this must be managed by the appropriate authority, that being the Electoral Commission,” she said.

RISE Mzansi said it was confident in the IEC’s ability to manage the elections.