A video circulating on social media showing model Rethabile Lethoko campaigning for the African National Congress (ANC) has raised many questions. Social media users said the party was using women for campaigning. This video formed part of a video series the party has released for the 2019 National Elections.
#ANCVideo The Governing party’s Head of Elections @MbalulaFikile just sent me this full video of the shortened one that they has received a lot of backlash here on Twitter. She speaks about the triple challenges ravaging the Country here and in particular the youth. pic.twitter.com/Af0jS528OY
Samkele Maseko (@samkelemaseko) January 29, 2019
In the video Lethoko goes through her resume saying because of it she felt she had to use her skills to help the youth – saying they are the future.
The government could end poverty by working on the unemployment rate, education, health, and security, she says.
Lethoko calls on South Africans to realise we are all people regardless of difference. The video ends with Lethoko praising the work that the government has done. This includes building parks in her hometown Spruitview and restructuring water and electricity. The final frame of the video calls on people to register to vote for the ANC.
Other videos released featured actress Thibedi Nyalleng and artist Bergie Fresh. The party also has videos from members, students, and the general public speaking about the ANC.
ANC response
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS:
Reply to question by a journalist regarding the so called Dove trending ANC Video. That is by the way one of many videos of people from different background but was singled out.
WATCH: pic.twitter.com/IikeUFPoqq
Fikile (Mr Fearfokkol) (@MbalulaFikile) January 29, 2019
After facing backlash on social media for the video, the ANC’s head of elections, Fikile Mbalula addressed these. In a press conference, Mbalula said many videos had been released so he didn’t understand why the outrage over this one.
“We want young people to use their social status and celebrity to advance democracy,” he said. Mbalula said young people using their status – as soccer players or models – to advance democracy is good. He added that patriarchy was in the mindset of perverts and those who defined women as sexual symbols.
