DA steps up campaign against Bell Pottinger

The Democratic Alliance is stepping up its campaign against controversial public relations firm Bell Pottinger‚ which has been accused of fueling racial tensions in South Africa on behalf of the Gupta family.

The PR firm was pressured into dropping the Guptas as clients after it emerged that terms such as "white monopoly capital" derived from the UK-based consultants.

Bell Pottinger has also been accused of being behind campaigns targeting journalists who have been critical of the Guptas‚ a business family linked to President Jacob Zuma.

The DA subsequently reported Bell Pottinger to an international industry body.

The party said on Friday that Bell Pottinger had responded to its complaint.

"The DA can confirm that Bell Pottinger yesterday met its deadline to respond to the DA’s complaint that it violated the Public Relations and Communications Association’s (PRCA) Professional Charter and Code of Conduct – following allegations that they sowed racial divisions in South Africa‚" the DA's Phumzile Van Damme said in a statement.

"The DA has now requested a copy of their submission. The written submissions will now be referred to a Committee for consideration and they will decide whether a disciplinary hearing should be held.

"Should the Committee decide to proceed with a disciplinary hearing into the PR firm’s conduct‚ they have confirmed that it will likely be held on 16‚ 17 or 18 August in London." Van Damme‚ the DA's Shadow Minister of Communications‚ said the party would on Friday picket outside of Bell Pottinger’s offices in London and hand over a memorandum of demands‚ including that Bell Pottinger:

• Make public all communication and contracts pertaining to the work they did for the Guptas; • Declare all funds received for services rendered to the Guptas and the ANC; and • To invest these funds in building schools or donations to NGOs.

"We encourage all South Africans in London to join the DA as we protest against the damaging propaganda campaign Bell Pottinger launched in South Africa for the benefit of the Guptas and the Zumas‚" the statement said.

"For an international PR agency to sow racial divisions in a country still grappling with a very painful past‚ for the sole benefit of a corrupt few‚ is simply unethical."

-TimesLIVE