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The SABC is misleading the South African public and protecting President Cyril Ramaphosa from having to debate DA Leader Mmusi Maimane on live television.

In a statement, the SABC has “put it on record that it has no plans to host a debate between [Ramaphosa] and [Maimane]” and that it is aware that one of its elections productions The Big Debate “has approached leaders of political parties to participate in a debate”.

We can confirm that Mr. Maimane has indeed received an invite from the producers of The Big Debate, but now it is clear the public broadcaster has bowed to pressure from the ANC to not push ahead with the planned debate.

Its own statement is contradictory and is a smokescreen to protect President Ramaphosa and the ANC. They know he has nothing to offer voters and won’t be able to stand the public humiliation of having to account for a rotten ANC.

We have challenged Ramaphosa to a presidential debate countless times, but he has, like all previous ANC presidents, refused to stand up to public scrutiny. Now, he is getting the SABC to do his bidding and sadly the SABC is allowing its strings to be pulled.

Issued by The DA