Gupta media tries to discredit damning Eskom claims
Gupta-owned media group ANN7 on Wednesday broadcast “breaking news” claiming that former mining minister Ngoako Ramatlhodi had denied a report by investigative journalists at amaBhungane, which quoted him implicating Eskom executives and president Jacob Zuma in a blackmail scheme to help the Guptas.
In a damning report published by amaBhungane this week, Ramatlhodi was quoted making damning allegations against Ekom CEO Brian Molefe, chair Ben Ngubane and president Jacob Zuma, saying that he was fired as mining minister when he would not go along with a plan to blackmail former Optimum owners, Glencore.
According to the report, Ramatlhodi claimed that when he was still mining minister, he attended a meeting with Molefe and Ngubane, where they demanded that he suspend all Glencore’s mining licences in South Africa, pending the payment of a R2.17 billion penalty.
However, in a broadcast report on Wednesday, ANN7 quoted “senior ANC officials and other sources” as saying that the real reason for Ramatlhodi’s sacking was because of a “lack of transformation during his tenure”.
The sources told ANN7 that Ramatlhodi was seen as being “soft” on the big four mining companies – including Glencore – that were actually dictating terms to Eskom.
The sources also reportedly told ANN7 that Ramatlhodi was also implicated because of his own mining interests in Alatsa Resources – a partner of Anglo American Platinum.
Over subsequent reports, ANN7 displayed large “breaking news” banners, claiming that Ramatlhodi had moved back on his claims, denying the amaBhungane report, and absolving Eskom of any accusations that it put pressure on him.
However, these claims directly contradict reports by other media houses, including video footage of Ramatlhodi himself standing behind his claims in the amaBhungane report.
In an interview with the SABC, Ramatlhodi said that there is record of the meeting between himself, Molefe and Ngubane taking place – so he stood by his comments – but wouldn’t be drawn in to expanding on any of his other statements in the amaBhungane report.
He did, however, say that he was not afraid, and is prepared to have his say under oath, before a judicial commission of enquiry.
Taking on the ANC over Molefe
The Gupta media group also drew the ire of ANC spokesperson Zizi Kodwa in a separate report surrounding the reappointment of Brian Molefe as Eskom CEO.
Again quoting anonymous sources, ANN7 reported that Kodwa’s statements calling Molefe’s reappointment “unfortunate and reckless” were not approved through the ANC’s internal processes.
The media group ran the headline “Kodwa’s statement on Molefe rejected by ANC officials: ANN7 sources”.
Kodwa lashed out at ANN7 on Twitter, saying that the group “will never capture ANC through lies and deception.”
The report was later removed and social media posts deleted.
Kodwa previously issued a statement on behalf of the ANC, accusing ANN7 of peddling stories “devoid of truth, divisive and designed to create an illusion of some ‘ANC insider’ status for the channel”.
“ANN7 seems determined to manufacture false consensus, sharpening contradictions and deepening fissures in the ANC,” Kodwa said at the time.
“The station effectively acts as a mouthpiece of the factional divisions that plague the African National Congress, consistently showing itself as being intent on driving wedges within the organization and pitting comrade against comrade.”
Read: ANC slams Gupta media for ‘sowing division’ in the party
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