A controversial billboard that has landed the DA in hot water was vandalised on Thursday.
The opposition party launched their #TheANCIsKillingSA campaign in Johannesburg on Wednesday and unveiled the ‘The ANC is Killing Us’ billboard, which contained the names of those who died in the Marikana massacre and the Life Esidimeni tragedy, and children who had died after falling into pit toilets.
The billboard, which was ripped, sparked outrage and the party was slammed for being insensitive.
The Esidimeni Family Committee is furious and is set to take legal action against the DA.
Some relatives of victims complained that they had not been consulted.
It’s suspected that the vandals are from their ranks.
However, the DA insists the billboard is freedom of speech.
“The DA will do everything in its power to ensure that those involved in criminal acts are brought to justice.
"It goes against the freedom of speech to vandalise a billboard that pays tribute to people [who] died at the hands of the ANC-led government,” DA spokesman Solly Malatsi told IOL.
The ANC accused the DA of slander, but the opposition party said it did not need permission to use the names as these were in the public domain already.
“From Marikana to Life Esidemeni, South Africans passed away in the most horrific of circumstances and the perpetrators of their untimely deaths have either been protected, emboldened or promoted by the ANC,” said Malatsi.
“Each name on the billboard represents a South African who was forsaken by an indifferent and uncaring ANC government.”
The ANC is reportedly considering reporting the matter to the Independent Electoral Commission’s Electoral Court.