Bell Pottinger ‘witchcraft’ flier sees funnier side of state capture

On a day when AfriForum declared it would be laying charges of terrorism against UK public relations firm Bell Pottinger, South Africans could still see the funnier side of the debacle.

The company’s CEO released a statement on Thursday apologising for their role in polarising South Africa along racial lines after taking on the Gupta family as clients. The company had attempted to use the term “white monopoly capital” as a way to distract from allegations of state capture against the Guptas and their friend President Jacob Zuma and his family.

One executive was fired and another three staff members have been suspended.

We are all quite familiar with the fliers produced by traditional healers in South Africa that promise to enlarge certain organs, bring loved ones back from the dead, advance careers and ensure that enemies get what’s coming to them.

Oddly, they all seem to have a similar style, almost as if it’s all being done by the same person, or they all use the same graphic designer or design program.

Bell Pottinger may have made the kind outlandish promises of magical results more associated with sangomas to Duduzane Zuma and the Guptas, and the results have been equally dubious.

Of course, unlike most witchdoctors, the Guptas charge millions of rands.

The flier, featuring the face of Victoria Geoghegan, promises that the company will be able to heal your reputation, divert attention from your dodgy deal and of course, increase your luck at the shebeen, among other things.