South Africa’s ruling party, the African National Congress (ANC) has expressed dismay over the leaking of its internal discussions.
This comes after recorded voice notes from the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) held on Saturday were leaked online.
Social media users identified former President Thabo Mbeki and NEC member Dakota Legoete speaking in the recordings.
In a statement issued this Sunday, ANC National Spokesperson Pule Mabe said the leaking of internal party discussions is aimed at dividing the party. The statement read:
The African National Congress (ANC) is concerned about the growing tendency of leaking internal discussions of the organization, including the implications of such practice.
A case in point is the leaking of information to a digital media platform referred to as Insight Factor that has appointed itself to perform the task of giving “As it happens updates of the National Executive Committee (NEC).
We are aware that they are supplied information by their own proxies to further a nefarious task of not only dividing the ANC but also to drive a particular narrative that goes against the united spirit displayed by the meeting of the NEC currently underway.
The ANC approved Communication Protocol states: “Any conduct involving the leaking of confidential information shall constitute a violation of this communications protocol and the ANC has a responsibility to deal with this act of misconduct in the same way as it would deal with any act that brings the organisation into disrepute.”
In terms of this Protocol, any member who leaks or releases information to the media or public without due authorisation or prior approval shall be guilty of misconduct”.
The ANC legal team is looking into this matter of leaks, including the unauthorized dissemination of ANC NEC material across social media platforms.