Bell Pottinger PR firm was hired by Oakbay, a company owned by the Gupta family, whose interests stretch from mining to media. The Guptas have been accused of using their connections with South Africa's president, Jacob Zuma, to win contracts and influence political appointments. Mr Zuma and the Guptas strongly deny all allegations.
The media campaign the PR firm ran for the wealthy Gupta family was accused of stirring up racial tensions in South Africa in what was described as a "hateful and divisive campaign to divide South Africa along the lines of race".
The PR firm emphasised the power of white-owned businesses in the campaign, which used the #WhiteMonopolyCapital hashtag. It was accused of orchestrating the creation of fake Twitter accounts to target prominent white businesspeople in South Africa to draw attention away from the Gupta family.
The UK's industry trade body, the Public Relations and Communications Association (PRCA), upheld the complaint.
The Guptas’ Oakbay company was paying Bell Pottinger £100,000 a month for its lobbying.
The Guptas’ Oakbay company was paying Bell Pottinger £100,000 a month for its lobbying.
3 comments:
"The UK's industry trade body, the Public Relations and Communications Association (PRCA), upheld the complaint."
Who made the complaint? It is an interesting story for one who wishes to know more about the African continent and the legacy of capitalism, which carved the indigenous population into nation states.
I don't understand the overall story.
The original complaint was made by the white-dominated Democratic Alliance.
Gupta family are heavily involved with Zuma with accusations of corruption and bribery. To draw attention away from this, Gupta's employed the PR company who chose to present the problem as not the Gupta's - Indians. But the minority white population. Divide and Rule.
Update
http://www.bbc.com/news/business-41151361
Bell Pottinger has been expelled from the UK public relations trade body for its work in South Africa.
"...certain material created by Bell Pottinger for the economic emancipation campaign "was negative or targeted towards wealthy white South African individuals or corporates and/or was potentially racially divisive and/or potentially offensive and was created in breach of relevant ethical principles".
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