Twitter suspends popular, anonymous @AdvBarryRoux account

Popular yet controversial anonymous Twitter account Man’s Not Barry Roux (@AdvBarryRoux) has a large following on the platform, but has plenty of enemies too.

Now, he has been suspended, with the exact tweet or reason for his temporary removal from the platform unclear.

Twitter told TimesLive that they cannot comment on the reasons for his suspension and pointed the publication in the direction of the Twitter Rules.

The account began as a parody of Advocate Barry Roux, who became a household name during the Oscar Pistorius trial, as the most high profile lawyer in the convicted Paralympian athlete’s defence team. It has since become famous for its mix of gossip, sharing of apparent confidential information (or as Twitter calls it, ‘dropping files’) and political opinions. Most recently, it played a role in the outrage surrounding a picture that appeared to show a racially divided classroom at a North West school.

While no-one knows exactly who updates the account, it is hugely influential on Twitter. It has been known to play the role of investigative journalist, but has also been called out for sharing fake news. Some have called the account’s views on issues such as gender problematic. Whoever runs the account also appears to be an EFF supporter, and its views are almost always in line with the party’s.

READ MORE: School allegedly ‘rearranges kids’ after racially divided class pic goes viral

If the identity of whoever is behind the account is ever is discover, it is possible that legal action, or even criminal charges could result.

Former Hawks boss Shadrack Sibiya has vowed to unmask whoever is behind the account. Sibiya has been accused by the account, alongside Sello ‘Chicco’ Twala, of having played a role in covering up the murder of former Bafana Bafana and Orlando Pirates goalkeeper Senzo Meyiwa.

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