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By Citizen Reporter

Journalist


ANC launches attack on ‘Fox News of SA’ ANN7

ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe says ANN7 is ‘talking rubbish’.


Following reports by Gupta-owned news channel ANN7 claiming that the ANC’s statement on Friday condemning Brian Molefe’s reappointment as Eskom’s CEO was not authorised by ANC structures, the ruling party issued yet another stinging rebuke to the network on Tuesday.

The party’s national spokesperson, Zizi Kodwa, took a swipe at the reports by ANN7, saying the channel was the Fox News of South Africa.

The ANC statement stated that the decision to reinstate Molefe was “reckless” and “unfortunate”.

ANN7 also cited unnamed sources who said that Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa was apparently upset about Molefe’s return to the power utility.

The channel reported: “It was also mentioned that the officials questioned Kodwa’s statement given that Molefe’s appointment is a government matter.”

Taking to social networking site Twitter on Tuesday, Kodwa said ANN7 was the Fox News of South Africa, saying: “I feel your pain at this moment, you will never capture the ANC through lies and deception.”

Meanwhile, ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe told News24 ANN7 was “talking rubbish”.

Earlier this month, the ANC dismissed reports by the network alleging that some of the party’s top six leaders had “pushed” President Jacob Zuma to attend Cosatu’s Workers’ Day rally in Bloemfontein, Free State, where he was booed and heckled by workers.

The party accused ANN7 of being “a mouthpiece of the factional divisions” in the ANC, saying the channel had consistently showed itself as being intent on “driving wedges” and pitting ANC leaders against each other.

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