ANC’s 105 reasons to talk

The ANC denies its social media campaign #WeAreANC is a public relations disaster after thousands of people took to Twitter and Facebook to respond with harsh criticism and sarcastic quips about the ruling party’s perceived failures and recent scandals.

The campaign trended several times on social media, but words of support and praise for the ruling party were trumped by angry responses directed at the party.

ANC spokesperson Zizi Kodwa said the campaign was to build up media hype about the party’s birthday celebrations on January 8.

“The idea from the beginning was to get people talking, to stimulate conversation, positive or negative. We had no illusions that people would just praise the ANC. Our main intention was to get everyone to talk about the 105th birthday of the ANC.”

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In the build-up to the ANC’s birthday, the ruling party kicked off the new year with a social media campaign and door-to-door visits around Gauteng. The tweets include: Mathapelo Maganedisha
@IamSankara #WeAreANC – “We keep innocent people like Bonginkosi Khanyile in jail for wanting free education while our leader who is a criminal is free.”

#WeAreANC we keep innocent people like Bonginkosi Khanyile in jail for wanting free education while our leader who is a criminal is free.

— Mathapelo Maganedisha (@IamSankara) January 2, 2017

Sam @SpokenSam #WeAreANC – “We sent the police to kill people in Marikana for demanding decent salaries because we are stooges of white monopoly capital.”

Ask not what the ANC can do for you but what your tax money can do for ANC comrades. #WeAreANC

— Eusebius McKaiser (@Eusebius) January 2, 2017

https://twitter.com/Spiwo/status/816190620297478145

Sunday 8 January 2017 the Van Damme party turns 105…Happy Birthday to them!
But 2019 #Elamanqamu ! 🎵🎵🎤📻😅😅#WeAreANC #sobulaluvandamme

— Dali Mpofu (@AdvDali_Mpofu) January 3, 2017

#ANCSG – We need to deal with Corruption. The ANC must commit itself to deal with corruption & be seen to be doing so #WeAreANC

— African National Congress (@MYANC) January 3, 2017

BREAKING NEWS: #Blade wants to jail anyone using #WeAreANC hashtag to insult #ANC. (I heard it from … @RediTlhabi. Really, not lying)

— Maggs Naidu ᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠ (@maggsnaidu) January 3, 2017

– Simnikiweh@citizen.co.za