Bell Pottinger to appeal adverse ruling against it

Bell Pottinger‚ the international PR firm used by the controversial Gupta family‚ is to appeal adverse findings made against it by the Public Relations and Communication Association in the United Kingdom.

The Democratic Alliance made the announcement a few minutes ago in a press release.

The DA had taken the firm to the association for allegedly sowing racial hatred among South Africans as part of a campaign to deflect attention away from the Gupta family.

Last week‚ the DA revealed that the association had upheld the party’s complaint against Bell Pottinger. The ruling was expected to be announced on Monday.

The DA's Phumzile van Damme said in a statement that Bell Pottinger had lodged an appeal with the association over its finding against the firm.

"The association's management board will meet on Monday to consider the appeal and will issue its final ruling on Tuesday‚" she said.

Van Damme said the party was continuing to call on Bell Pottinger to "do the right thing and disclose all Gupta contracts and monies from their accounts with the Guptas and reinvest it into South Africa".

The firm fired one of its Gupta account managers and suspended two others over the scandal around the firm and accusations that it had been used to help incite racial hatred.