Luthuli House distances itself from face masks 'abusing the ANC emblem'

The ANC has distanced itself from face masks bearing the party's emblem and called on those producing them to stop.

Deputy secretary Jessie Duarte on Wednesday appealed to party members and manufacturers to “stop abusing the ANC emblem”.

“It has come to the attention of the ANC that there are some private-sector individuals who are producing face masks with the emblem of the ANC on the mask.

“There are also individuals who are making masks for themselves out of used ANC T-shirts. We are making an appeal to those members of the private sector not to abuse the ANC emblem,” Duarte said.

Pictures of the masks bearing the ANC logo — in the green, gold and black colours of the party — have been making the rounds on social media.

But Duarte said political party emblems on face masks, used to keep the public safe against Covid-19, went against the approach that all South Africans should be united in fighting the pandemic.

“We are also asking the ANC membership to understand that Covid-19 affects everyone irrespective of which political party you may belong to. We cannot be selling masks that have political party emblems on them and hoping that people will support the private sector in this regard,” she added.

Duarte urged party supporters not to only stop manufacturing but also selling masks with ANC emblems.