SOUTH Africa’s ruling ANC yesterday slammed the main opposition party’s bid to dissolve parliament after not getting its way last month.

The ANC chief whip’s office accused the Democratic Alliance (DA) of wasting valuable time at the Cape Town parliament with its “frivolous” motion to call early elections.

DA leader Mmusi Maimane threw a tantrum after the eighth opposition no-confidence motion in President Jacob Zuma was defeated on August 8 – despite an unprecedented secret ballot that saw an estimated 25 ANC MPs rebel.

ANC whip spokesperson Nonceba Mhlauli said: “This petty move is indicative of their lack of respect towards our democracy and the electorate of South Africa.”

In December the ANC will elect a new president to lead it into the 2019 general election.  

On Monday, Britain’s Public Relations and Communications Association (PRCA) expelled PR firm Bell Pottinger and banned it from reapplying for membership for five years over a campaign it ran for South African firm Oakbay Investments against “white monopoly capital.”

Bell Pottinger was accused of stirring up racial tension to draw attention away from the billionaire Gupta family, which has been accused of benefiting financially and influencing government decisions thanks to their close links to Mr Zuma and other leading ANC members.

PRCA director-general Francis Ingham said: “Bell Pottinger has brought the PR and communications industry into disrepute with its actions, and it has received the harshest possible sanctions.”

And Britain’s National Union of Journalists (NUJ)welcomed the ruling, with public relations and communications industrial council chair Phil Morcom saying: “Unethical behaviour in the public relations industry brings a stain on our profession.

“PR companies that actively mislead the public are not only unethical, they run the risk of being seen to be contaminated by their behaviour.

“The NUJ offers valuable support and protection to PR and communications workers who are prepared to stand up to pressure to behave unprofessionally and unethically.”
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