ANC55: RET-backed fake news plagues elective conference

A disinformation campaign has been a new feature of the ANC national elective conference as the race between Cyril Ramaphosa and Zweli Mkhize becomes the focal point at Nasrec.

Most of the disinformation, published through social media, emanated from the radical economic transformation faction (RET), now clearly supporting Mkhize, and claimed provinces which previously supported Ramaphosa had shifted to Mkhize.

Members claimed the Eastern Cape, Limpopo and North West, which had all announced their backing of Ramaphosa, had changed allegiance.

A report was faked to look as though it was published by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) online. Sent out via WhatsApp, it contained a link to the bbc.com website and the “story” could not be traced. The “breaking news” was riddled with spelling mistakes, bad grammar and did not follow BBC style.

Hanekom’s breakaway party

It said Ramaphosa and ANC NEC member Derek Hanekom intended to form a new breakaway political party if Ramaphosa lost the race to Mkhize.

The report claimed “Hanekom’s Renew SA Congress Party (RenewSA) was set for a launch in January 2023” and that the matter had come to light after its logo had been leaked.

It quoted “those close to the state security” alleging agents had intercepted marketing collateral, including founding documents of the new party.

A search of the London-based broadcaster’s website showed no news about a party Ramaphosa intended to form. Instead, the site’s reports on the conference were about Ramaphosa’s heckling by KwaZulu-Natal delegates.

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One RET member dishing out disinformation was former ANC Youth League spokesperson Sizophila Mkhize, who tweeted Eastern Cape provincial chair and premier Oscar Mabuyane had shifted allegiance from Ramaphosa to Mkhize.

“Diya says Zweli Mkhize for president, le yakhe sisayixoxa [this issue is still under discussion by us].”

Sizophila Mkhize posted a picture where she posed with Mabuyane outside the venue.

This was reinforced by some delegates, claiming to be from the Eastern Cape, singing in front of television cameras that Ramaphosa must go and making a sign of a rolling wheel, indicating the need for change.

Eastern Cape delegates denied the province had changed its position to favour Mkhize.

“If those people want to vote Mkhize, we are not surprised…

“It is not all of the Eastern Cape because as a province we are going to vote for Cyril,” said a delegate from the province who asked not to be named.

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Some dismissed the group as supporters of public enterprises deputy minister and former Eastern Cape premier Phumulo Masualle, who is backing Mkhize.

KZN was doing all in its power to “steal” the province.

Mabuyane did not respond to a message asking for comment.

Rumours of Limpopo switching

Later, more disinformation emerged, claiming Limpopo had ditched Ramaphosa in favour of Mkhize. The former health minister’s slate in KZN included Limpopo provincial chair and premier Stan Mathabatha as a candidate for national chair. This was seen as a strategy by KZN to win Limpopo’s support for Mkhize.

Limpopo had the second highest membership at 116 863 after KZN on 128 811 and if the province were to support Mkhize, he would likely take the ANC presidency.

But claims of Limpopo’s shift were vehemently denied as disinformation meant to confuse delegates and journalists.

The Citizen’s Limpopo correspondent, Alex Matlala, had received reports of some regional leaders expressing their support for Mkhize, which was contrary to the original position taken by the province.

Another attempted smear of a Ramaphosa supporter was a WhatsApp message featuring photos of boxes of cash, said to be connected with Minister in the Presidency Mondli Gungubele.

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