The Secretary General (SG) of the African National Congress (ANC) Fikile “Razzmatazz” Mbalula has reprimanded Member of Parliament and Deputy Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and Environmental Affairs Bernice Swart.
Swart is being reprimanded for trying to aid the ANC from losing more voters in the upcoming elections by launching her own campaign strategy called “One Loaf, One Family” which sent social media abuzz since Monday.
MDNtv News is in possession of the leaked letter that was sent to Swart.
“As per our telephonic conversation, the social media space is abuzz with the utterances you made on a campaign supposedly distributing one loaf of bread per family in the name of the African National Congress. As you would know, this campaign on distributing one loaf of bread per family was not sanctioned by the ANC and furthermore brought the organisation into disrepute.
“This therefore serves not only to reprimand you against what you have been engaged with in this regard, but also to direct you to stop this campaign as it is not only detrimental to the organisation but also an insult to the indigent in our communities,” he said.
The letter further reads: “You are therefore directed to desist from initiating any other similar campaign that may bring the ANC into disrepute. Since 1994, the ANC led government has been in the forefront of a number of social transformation programmes with specific measures undertaken towards elimination of poverty amongst our people such as social grants for the elderly, children grants, grants for those with disabilities, feeding scheme at selected school, support for scholar transport, access to health for all, NSFAS for students in higher education, housing for those who cannot afford own shelter and a lot more.
“Therefore, any campaign must be premised on what government and the private sector must do to eliminate poverty and inequality and not piecemeal efforts that insult the dignity of our people. Where individual initiatives are undertaken, inclusive of those by the structures of the organisation, they must not undermine the dignity of our people, irrespective of their socio-economic status,” the letter reads.
Earlier, the ANC distanced itself from the One Loaf On Family campaign.