Right of Reply: Democratic Alliance - WSM is wrong; we did support Emma Powell
Key topics
DA defends Powell amid ANC's alleged smear campaign
Claims state security surveilled Powell, leaked report
Visa scandal exposes ANC's failing US diplomacy
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Issued by Willie Aucamp MP – DA National Spokesperson
On Monday, the DA’s Emma Powell made a public revelation about Mcebisi Jonas that created a serious credibility issue for President Ramaphosa. Many have reported this as a “cover up” by Ramaphosa and “misleading” the nation.
Since Powell’s revelation there has been no denial that Jonas was refused a visa to the United States. Powell’s revelation has not been denied by the Presidency or the ANC, because they cannot deny it.
Instead of presenting the truth, they have launched a complete deflection and false ad-hominem attacks against Emma. This is a mark of absolute desperation.
The ANC President and his party are completely on the back foot after having failed at US relations, and failed to secure a trade deal. No one else is to blame. South Africans see right through the ANC’s deflection.
Emma Powell has been doing an outstanding job of defending and advancing South Africa’s interests on the world stage, and we back her all the way.
On the other hand, the ANC has badly harmed our relations with the USA because of their cozy relations with rogue nations like Iran and Russia. Their failures cannot be scapegoated onto a DA MP as a smokescreen for their own failures.
To undermine Powell, the ANC has been abusing state resources to fight its party battles. The National Security Council report which was leaked to the Sowetan earlier this week shows that the state has been spying on Powell. This is scandalous and reveals the true character of the ANC.
The ANC of today is behaving exactly like the National Party did years ago – it pretends and tries to convince others that the ANC’s interests are the country’s interests. They are NOT.
The ANC is destroying South Africa with its inherent corruption and malfeasance. The DA is trying to rescue South Africa from the ANC.
The ANC is merely a minority political party in South Africa, it is not South Africa itself, and needs to come to terms with this reality.
The most patriotic intentions of the DA, to build the strongest trade relations with democratic nations, will not be deterred by ANC deflections and false narratives.
Sowetan leaks alleged National Security Council Report
By Emma Louise Powell MP - DA Spokesperson on International Relations & Cooperation
I note with grave concern the Sowetan Newspaper story: “Report Links DA MP to Anti-SA Narrative”.
On the 16th of July 2025, I was asked for comment on an unspecified report by Sowetan journalist, Jeanette Chabalala, who noted that serious allegations had been made against me in regards to the DA’s visit to the United States in February 2025.
I subsequently contacted the Sowetan’s Editor, Sibongakonke Shoba, to ascertain the veracity of the report. He declined to provide me with a copy of the report but confirmed that it was produced by state security services and had served before the National Security Council (NSC) and the President. Reports serving before NSC are classified.
This comes on the back of my recent media exposé in regards to Mcebisi Jonas’s failure to obtain a diplomatic visa.
It is clear that there is an insidious political agenda at play, in which taxpayer-funded state security services are potentially being weaponised against sitting Members of Parliament in order to achieve political objectives.
The DA has been clear about who our delegation met with in the United States and the nature of our trip. Both the DA's media statement following the trip and subsequent public interviews provide detailed information in this regard.
Both the potential surveillance of a sitting Member of Parliament by state security services as well as the targeted leaking of a classified report in a clear attempt to tarnish and intimidate such a Member in performing her duties are serious criminal offences under South African law.
This follows on the back of General Makwanazi’s revelations of organised crime having infiltrated the Police and State Security at the highest levels.
On the evening *of 16 July, the DA’s lawyers wrote to both the President and the Minister of State Security requesting an urgent investigation into both the commissioning and leaking of such an alleged report. This correspondence will be provided to the media on request.
There is no place in a constitutional democracy for Members of Parliament to be actively su*rveilled by the State in performing their functions, and representing their political parties on the international stage.
As the ANC continues to engage with its friends in the axis of malign actors, the likes of Russia and Iran, the DA will continue to openly and constructively engage with the international community of democracies.