Phoenix: ANC Expected to Take DA to SAHRC Over “Racist” Campaigning

• The ANC is expected to file a complaint with the South African Human Rights Commission regarding the DA's contentious posters around Phoenix, north of Durban
• Jessie Duarte, ANC deputy general-secretary, recently visited the Phoenix community to confront and evaluate the incident
• The posters, coordinated by DA KZN leader Dean Macpherson, capitalised on the community's racial tensions following the July civil unrest

DURBAN - The South African Human Rights Commission should expect to receive a grievance from the African National Congress about the Democratic Alliance's controversial Phoenix posters.

On Thursday, 7 October, ANC Deputy Secretary-General Jessie Duarte visited the community north of Durban to address the issue head-on and assess the situation ahead of President Cyril Ramaphosa's visit to KwaZulu-Natal over the weekend.

The posters were conceptualised by DA KZN Chairperson Dean Macpherson which capitalised on the racial tension in the community following the civil unrest in July. The signboards read: "The ANC called you racists," and "The DA calls you heroes."

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Helen Zille refuses to denounce Phoenix posters: "Political parties continue to sow racial tension"

According to News24, Duarte, who addressed a crowd at Phoenix Plaza, said the complaint to the SAHRC was made on the basis that no political party should openly encourage criminality and racism.

A report from EWN stated that Duarte said while the DA apologised and began removing the posters, the damage was already irreversibly done.

The ANC's decision to approach the SAHRC has tons of South Africans sharing their thoughts

@living_captur shared:

"IEC = ANC & SAHRC = ANC."

@fanie_minne wrote:

"So the cANCer is approaching the SAHRC with this poster stating it promotes criminality. Just remind me again, who is the speaker in Parliament?"

@Richbind said:

"We all know that the SAHRC is captured."

KZN DA releases apology for controversial posters, starts removal process

In other news about the posters, Briefly News reported that the Democratic Alliance has issued an official apology and removed the controversial allegedly racially-charged posters in Phoenix, North of Durban.

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Public Protector snaps back, says report was not released to coincide with ANC's election campaign

The apology was issued on Thursday, 7 October by Dean Macpherson, the KwaZulu-Natal Chairperson of the DA, who said the party was currently in the process of removing the posters. He said the message was a sincere attempt to pay tribute to the law-abiding community members of Phoenix who defended their homes during the civil unrest in July.

The posters were not given the green light by DA leader John Steenhuisen, party structures or party campaign leadership.

Source: Briefly News