ANC’s ‘dodgy’ statement defending Ace Magashule slammed on social media

The ANC released a statement on Sunday slamming what they called “fake news front page propaganda” from the Sunday Times and City Press about the party’s secretary-general Ace Magashule.

The two publications had simply written reports about some of the content included in investigative journalist Pieter-Louis Myburgh’s new book, Gangster State: Unravelling Ace Magashule’s Web of Capture.

In the book, Magashule is accused of rampant corruption, ruthless gangsterism and exaggerating his struggle credentials.

Several prominent South Africans have reacted to the ANC statement.

News24 assistant editor Pieter du Toit called it “hysterical,” adding that it “ignores substance and fires buckshot in every direction”. He was also one of several users who noted that Magashule had reportedly refused to answer 60 questions sent to him by Myburgh on the allegations in his book.

Social commentator Maggs Naidu called the statement “puerile,” “amateurish” and “dodgy as hell”.

READ MORE: Ace Magashule accused of exaggerating his struggle credentials

“It looks like the work of the most corrupt crooks on the planet. It’s a total embarrassment,” he added.

Veteran journalist Anton Harber tweeted, “When ANC adopts this tone and cites Stratcom, and does not address the issues, you know you have hit the spot.”

Former Financial Mail editor Barney Mthombeni said the ANC “doesn’t even attempt to deny the allegations”, which he took as “confirmation that they’re true”, adding that “Magashule from the outset conveniently latches on Cyril’s name as a shield to defend himself”.

702 radio host Eusebius McKaiser tweeted that people should not comment on the book if they had not yet read it.

Minister of tourism and prominent ANC member Derek Hanekom, meanwhile, appeared to contradict the statement in a tweet.

“This has not been discussed at the NEC. I am not prepared to simply dismiss all the allegations as lies. Nor would most of my NEC comrades,” he said.

A few users even brought up the possibility that the statement may have been written by Magashule himself, with one user saying Magashule “controls communication since Zizi Kodwa left” and another saying that the ANC secretary-general “writes statements for the ANC” himself.

(Background reporting, Kaunda Selisho)

THE AFRICAN NATIONAL CONGRESS DENOUNCES THE FAKE NEWS FRONT PAGE PROPAGANDA PUBLISHED TODAY BY THE SUNDAY TIMES ANC CITY PRESS, AND SAY HANDS OFF OUR SG! pic.twitter.com/BazSBnUUB6

— African National Congress (@MYANC) March 31, 2019

Hysterical statement by the ANC in response to @PLMyburgh’s “Gangster State”…ignores substance and fires buckshot in every direction…but @Magashule_Ace still has not answered the 60 questions sent to him. Also, his office clears all party statements. @TeamNews24 pic.twitter.com/VBhOPmyPYa

— Pieter Du Toit (@PieterDuToit) March 31, 2019

I'm still astounded at @MYANC response. It's puerile. It's amateurish. It's dodgy as hell. It looks like the work of the most corrupt crooks on the planet. It's a total embarrassment…

For the decent folk in the structures… the best lie is the truth… pic.twitter.com/HMa69Bl5wd

— Maggs Naidu ᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠ (@maggsnaidu) March 31, 2019

So, will the ANC retract that statement? @Derek_Hanekom https://t.co/OUsVZfyxyB

— Nomboniso Gasa (@nombonisogasa) April 1, 2019

When ANC adopts this tone and cites Stratcom, and does not address the issues, you know you have hit the spot. https://t.co/U0QhxZZZms

Read more

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— Anton Harber (@AntonHarber) March 31, 2019

What's interesting about this statement is (a) the anc doesn't even attempt to deny the allegations, a confirmation that they're true (b) notice how Magashule from the outset conveniently latches on Cyril's name as a shield to defend himself https://t.co/PWDwDvBOYe

— Barney Mthombothi (@mthombothi) March 31, 2019

No Derek. We should not be compelled to slice you up into little factions of convenience. That statement came from the ANC. It remains in the record of history as this ANC's response to serious allegations of corruption against its Secretary General. Period. https://t.co/vYDyhwjSSo

— Nwabisa Makunga (@nwabisa_mak) April 1, 2019

Dear defenders of Eish Magashule, You should not FIRST comment on a book and only THEREAFTER read it, once it is out (if you read it at all)! You must withhold your view until you have read and thought about what is INSIDE the book. Thanks. #ForTheLoveOfBooks #ForTheLoveOfReading

— Eusebius McKaiser (@Eusebius) April 1, 2019

Ace writes statements for the ANC by himself. So this can be taken as a response rather than a statement

— IamDollar(Malimthande) (@TshepisoMolefi3) April 1, 2019

Remember Ace Magashule controls communication since Zizi Kodwa left.

— Zakhele Mboyane (@zakhele_mboyane) March 31, 2019

Apparently the “attack” on comrade Ace is timed to undermine the party’s election efforts. Pity the party didn’t write up so many words when we hit Stage 4 loadshedding recently. And it hasn’t addressed a single allegation against Ace. There’d be no book if you provide answers. https://t.co/T3G4JtVA0p

— Barry Bateman (@barrybateman) March 31, 2019

This is an ANC Statement.

I’ve seen calls on the timeline calling for Cyril to distance himself from this statement.

Cyril is part of the ANC & he can’t do that.

It’s also not fair to expect him to do so. https://t.co/i5BupyCvNu

— Tumi Sole (@tumisole) April 1, 2019

The ANC statement slamming @PLMyburgh’s book on #AceMagashule as fake news was issued just after noon.
Which would suggest no one at the ANC actually even read the book before denouncing it. 1/2

— Karyn Maughan (@karynmaughan) March 31, 2019

It’s telling that ANC accusing @PLMyburgh of Stratcom propaganda – but makes no mention of taking legal action over contents of his book
ANC saying book’s claims are baseless, but it won’t say why.

So it’s all lies?

And we must just believe the ANC because it says so? 2/2

— Karyn Maughan (@karynmaughan) March 31, 2019

The SG statement makes me to buy the book, it's just empty rhetoric which doesn't address the serious allegations against Ace. It remind me of ANC similar statements discouraging citizens to buy the The president's keeper book. Ace should not the drag ANC to defend criminalilty

— Ramarumo Tshikosi (@tshikosira) March 31, 2019

Our work towards electoral victory for @MYANC cannot be deterred by fake news, smear, and gutter journalism of papers such as the @SundayTimesZA

The ANC will soldier on to a landslide victory. We remain unshaken and undistracted!

— Ace Magashule (OFFICIAL) (@Magashule_Ace) March 30, 2019

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