ANC slams DA's 'ANC is killing SA' billboard as slanderous

The ANC has accused the DA of slander after the leader of the official opposition, Mmusi Maimane, on Wednesday unveiled the party's "ANC is killing SA" billboard in Johannesburg and launched a scathing attack on the governing party.

During the DA event in Johannesburg CDB on Wednesday, Maimane claimed that people were dying in the country because of ANC's corruption and negligence.

Moreover, charged Maimane, the ANC had siphoned R700m from the public purse through corruption, but starved and neglected the "vulnerable" Life Esidimeni to death while shooting  mine workers in Marikana.

"The Esidimeni mass murder was committed in Gauteng under David Makhura’s watch, and yet he is still premier. ANC officials can literally get away with murder. Because the ANC cares only about themselves," said Maimane.

"On August 16 2012, the ANC government massacred South Africans. Like the 144 Esidimeni victims, these 34 Marikana victims could have been spared. No one had to die.

"Fellow South Africans, the ANC care only about themselves. They don’t care about us.  And they care even less about your children."

The ANC said the DA was jealous of the liberation party's changing fortunes, which indicated positive sentiment about the party heading into the general election in May.

In a strongly-worded response, the ANC accused the DA in a statement of spreading lies and claimed that the opposition party was in contravention of the IEC electoral code.

To this end, the governing party said it would be taking legal action against the DA.

"The ANC is concerned that the conduct of the DA flies in the face of the Electoral Code of Conduct as it is nothing short of spreading deliberate lies about the ANC," read the ANC statement.

"The recent IPSOS survey report has dealt a devastating blow to the DA ambitions to win the upcoming elections as the party has become insignificant and irrelevant to the majority of South Africa. 

"Rather than focusing on their ailing election campaign, the DA, once again, demonstrated its inability to present to South Africans sound alternative policies."