2017-07-07 19:38
Kaveel Singh, News24
Blade Nzimande. (File, Beeld)
Johannesburg - Former Gupta family public relations firm Bell Pottinger's apology is not good enough and the company must be held accountable for their actions, the SACP has said.
"The SACP rejects Bell Pottinger's so-called apology as insincere and trivial. The propaganda company must account for the harm it has caused to our country and our movement from its dubious activities in association with, and at the service of the Guptas," the tripartite alliance member said.
Bell Pottinger chief executive James Henderson on Thursday apologised for the work the company did for the Gupta family and Oakbay Investments.
The South African Communist Party lambasted the company, saying it was an "imperialist propaganda company". It called on the company to give it a direct apology.
The communist party said it was among the first to expose the Gupta hired company and the racial division it sought to implant.
"The division was directed at diverting attention from the parasitic, brazen smash and grab capitalist wealth accumulation regime associated with the Guptas, their networks of patronage, pop-up lobby groups and fake news machinery."
The SACP said Bell Pottinger's work weakened the capacity of the country's state-owned enterprises (SOEs).
"There has been massive looting through questionable tenders and other dubious activities ruining strategic discipline in our state entities and right in our government."
The SACP claimed it was the first organisation to "publish documentary evidence" on Bell Pottinger and its association to the Guptas.
"They attacked the image of the SACP and branded the truth the so-called lies. They are now claiming to be apologising, but they have not said anything about the capital they acquired from their association with the Guptas."
The SACP called on an immediate criminal investigation of prosecutable offences that were exposed from the #GuptaLeaks.
They also called for a "robustly independent" judicial commission of inquiry into corporate state capture.
http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/bell-pottinger-must-be-held-accountable-sacp-20170707