DA wants Bell Pottinger’s hearing with British PR regulator to be open to public

The DA says it has written to UK-based Public Relations and Communications Association (PRCA) to request that the disciplinary inquiry into the Guptas’ former PR firm, Bell Pottinger, be open to the public.

This comes after the DA filed a formal complaint earlier this month against the agency with PRCA over claims it promoted racial hatred in South Africa in order to deflect public attention from corruption and state capture allegations involving the controversial family and President Jacob Zuma.

PRCA director-general Francis Igham announced last week that the association’s professional practices committee had decided to hold a hearing on the case with both parties on August 18 in London.

DA spokesperson Phumzile Van Damme said in a statement on Thursday, given the public interest in the matter, the party believed the hearing should be open to all those who wish to attend, including the media.

However, according to Section 18 of the PRCA’s arbitration and disciplinary procedure, “the proceedings of the committee shall be held in private unless otherwise agreed by all parties”.

“We have been informed by the PRCA that they will raise the issue with Bell Pottinger. The ‘all parties’ also refers to the disciplinary committee, and PRCA has therefore also requested permission from committee members as well,” Van Damme said.

The DA implored both the committee members and Bell Pottinger to grant its request in the interest of transparency and accountability.

On July 6, Bell Pottinger apologised to South Africans for the work they did for Gupta-owned Oakbay Investments.

The PR firm admitted in a statement that some of its work for the Guptas was inappropriate and offensive, and claimed its senior management was also misled about the work on the Oakbay account.

“If Bell Pottinger is truly sorry for the damage they have done to race relations in our country by their divisive campaign, they will accede to the DA’s request.

“The South African people must be allowed to witness this process, as they were the ones that suffered the consequences of Bell Pottinger’s, the ANC and the Guptas’ actions,” Van Damme stated.

Bell Pottinger dropped Oakbay as a client earlier this year in April after citing negative media reports for its association with the family.

Listen to the statement by Van Damme below:

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