ANC Urges Public Support for People’s March Against ‘Disinformation Peddlers’

South Africa’s ruling party, the African National Congress (ANC), has called on citizens to join a “People’s March” scheduled for March 21, aimed at defending the country’s constitution and countering what it describes as a wave of disinformation targeting the nation.

ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula announced the march during a media briefing, where he appeared alongside party spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu-Motsiri and first deputy secretary general Nomvula Mokonyane. The event coincides with the 66th anniversary of the Sharpeville massacre, a pivotal moment in South Africa’s anti-apartheid struggle.

“We have seen people peddling disinformation in the US, lying that there is a genocide,” Mbalula stated, referring to recent allegations that have circulated internationally. He highlighted President Cyril Ramaphosa’s visit to the White House as an effort to “engage and dispel these lies.”

According to Mbalula, the consequences of this disinformation campaign have been far-reaching. “Because of these lies, we have seen an unprecedented amount of attention where our foreign policy is being attacked, BEE is being attacked, and threats of bad-faith investigations by the Trump administration are rampant. This is why this march is important,” he explained.

Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) policies have been a cornerstone of South Africa’s post-apartheid economic transformation strategy, aimed at increasing Black participation in the economy after decades of systematic exclusion under apartheid.

The march is set to begin at Mary Fitzgerald Square in Newtown, Johannesburg, proceeding to Mandela Bridge before concluding at Constitutional Hill—a symbolic location that houses South Africa’s Constitutional Court and represents the country’s democratic transition.

Mbalula emphasized that the demonstration is not merely an ANC initiative but rather a collective national movement. “This march is also an affirmation of unity. It is also a recognition that the future of South Africa cannot be built by one group alone but requires the collective effort of all who live in it,” he said.

The Secretary-General used the opportunity to address recent diplomatic tensions with the United States. He specifically criticized US Ambassador Brent Bozell III for comments regarding the controversial “Kill the Boer” chant, which has been a point of political contention in South Africa.

Bozell recently characterized the chant as hate speech during a podcast appearance, saying, “I do not care what the courts say, but that chant is hate speech.” This statement contradicted a 2022 ruling by South Africa’s Equality Court, which determined the chant was neither hate speech nor incitement.

“Bozell came here and spoke out of turn even before he presented his credentials,” Mbalula asserted. “He fought against this democracy by protesting against OR Tambo. He disrespected and undermined our courts.”

The ANC leader indicated that the South African government had formally expressed its displeasure with the ambassador’s comments through diplomatic channels. “We will not allow disrespect, and that’s why our government decided to demarche him because of his undiplomatic utterances,” he said.

The upcoming march comes at a time of heightened political sensitivity in South Africa, as the country navigates complex international relations while addressing domestic challenges. The ANC, which has governed South Africa since the end of apartheid in 1994, has faced increasing pressure both internally and externally as it works to address economic inequality, corruption allegations, and social divisions that persist nearly three decades after democratic transition.