Sisulu thinks Goolam is preoccupied with her and asks why there’s no focus on Ramaphosa and Phala Phala

African National Congress (ANC) veteran Lindiwe Sisulu has questioned why the person behind the  @Goolammv account on X is so preoccupied with her and not with President Cyril Ramaphosa and the Phala Phala farm saga.

Sisulu has been in the spotlight since Monday after speaking out about how she had been harassed on social media by a person using the handle Goolam and how the Ministry of Intelligence “bugged everybody”.

She alleged that a person employed by the Presidency is responsible for the Goolam handle on X, formerly known as Twitter.

‘More of a national issue than Phala Phala’

The Presidency has since urged Sisulu to present the information implicating the Presidency staff in wrongdoing to its director-general, Phindile Baleni, for further investigation.

Goolam, whose identity remains a mystery, shares posts about politics, politicians and other controversial news about the country.

Sisulu told The Citizen that Goolam is mostly focused on her.

“This Goolam, for the whole year, has been following me commenting on everything. Why would he find me more of a national issue than Phala Phala?”

Sisuslu was part of a media briefing hosted by Independent Media Group on Monday. During the briefing, the media organisation claimed to know the identity of the person behind the controversial Goolam account.

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When told by The Citizen that Goolam comments on many issues, Sisulu was adamant the person focuses on her.

“Let’s put all of those in a basket and say look, this is a preoccupation of Goolam. Why is Goolam not preoccupied with the national issue of a president found with money hidden breaking the law around financial law? Why is he not interested in that?”

Phala Phala case

Last year, the Office of the Public Protector cleared Ramaphosa of wrongdoing in the Phala Phala farm scandal.

The Public Protector investigated the 2020 burglary at the president’s farm in Waterberg, Limpopo, following complaints lodged by Democratic Alliance (DA) leader John Steenhuisen, African Transformation Movement (ATM) leader Vuyo Zungula and two members of the public.

The investigation looked into the conduct of Ramaphosa, his head of security Wally Rhoode, his advisor Bejani Chauke, national police commissioner Fannie Masemola and others.

Releasing a final report into the matter, then acting Public Protector Kholeka Gcaleka upheld similar findings from her preliminary report in March, which concluded that there was no proof Ramaphosa was actively involved in the running of Phala Phala or had received remuneration.

Out of government, but not out of politics

While Sisulu believes she is part of a smear campaign by Goolam, political analyst Professor Susan Booysen told The Citizen that it may be possible.

“In the dark channels of government and the dark side of any information campaign, there are certainly many campaigns in government, it’s also professionally part of the work of a government. One cannot rule out that there are campaigns, there are propaganda campaigns which are sometimes tantamount to smearing and otherwise, they’re just pretty critical. It’s possible in principle that there is something like that,” said Booysen.

Booysen also said Sisulu is still involved in politics and will be treated as such.

“As long as she pronounces to make statements, criticises et cetera, that is very much the political domain. She may be out of government, but she’s not out of politics and she’ll have to accept that whatever statement she made or makes as an innocent bystander, she is part of the political project because of her past reputation and because of her name with big political gravitas.

“She has to accept that she is part of that part of the ongoing political game and she is going to be treated as if she is part of that. That goes for everybody, politicians, analysts, journalists if they pronounce and if they come with certain political standings, they are going to be treated as if they are in politics,” Booysen said.

Goolam social media account

Meanwhile, the man accused of being the mastermind behind the Goolam social media account, known for its criticism of politicians, has demanded an apology from Independent Media.

Independent Media Group, which said it has been investigating the controversial account, held a media briefing on Monday where it said it believed Mohammed Yacoob Vawda is behind the X account, @Goolammv.

Vawda, a lecturer at the University of KwaZulu-Natal and a part-time comedian, through his lawyer Rupert Candy Attorneys denied the claims that he is behind the Goolam X handle.

Additional reporting by Molefe Seeletsa

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