The African National Congress reiterates its earlier statement that the
calls being made by a handful of political parties for the Chairperson of
the Independent Electoral Commission, Advocate Pansy Tlakula, to resign
are not genuine and are only informed by a desire to delegitimise the
2014 General Elections and the outcome thereof. It is our belief that
despite the threats of legal action being made, no competent court will
accept the stated intention of forcing Advocate Tlakula to resign. Such a
call we believe is illegal, unconstitutional and undermines the rights
that Advocate Tlakula, like any other citizen, enjoys in law.

The ANC is concerned also by the deafening silence of many in society in
the face of the blatant lynching of Advocate Tlakula, the head of a
Chapter 9 institution. Advocate Tlakula is an experienced and revered
staffer and commissioner of the IEC whose credibility and expertise at
the helm of the IEC is unparalleled. She has served the IEC with
distinction both as a CEO and the Chairperson. During her tenure at the
IEC, the IEC has never been founding wanting and we believe that this
witch-hunt by a male mob is informed only by her stance to take the
Public Protector's Report for review. To the best of our knowledge, there
are no charges that have been preferred against Advocate Tlakula nor is
there a case against her before any court of law. It would have been our
expectation therefore that political parties who claim to respect the
rule of  law and constitutionalism, would allow due process to take
course in the matter involving Advocate Tlakula instead of calling for
her head with no basis. Whatever grievance these parties may have with regard to
Advocate Tlakula, these grievances have no relationship with nor impact
on the forthcoming elections.

The ANC has been encouraged by the fact that the majority of parties in
the Party Liaison Committee of the IEC, including the DA and the IFP
amongst others, have rejected the call for Chairperson of IEC to resign.
It is only a handful of parties that are continuing with this
ill-informed and misguided act.  We share the sentiments of those parties
that reject this call as we believe that there is no basis in law to call
for Advocate Tlakula to resign, such a call is disparaging to the dignity
of the IEC Chairperson, it is not desirable and definitely not in the
interest of stable, credible, free and fair elections to be held almost 3
weeks from today.

The African National Congress once again calls upon all South Africans
and political parties  to support the IEC  in the execution of its work