Popular businessman Andile Ngcaba has distanced himself from a “fake news” report circulating online attributed to him and South African ambassador to Spain, Smuts Ngonyama.
Propagandists who authored the article claimed that Eskom would be broken into three parts and each would be sold to the highest bidder in the private sector.
ANC and President Cyril Ramaphosa was accused of lining up his mining company, Shanduka, to benefit from the “sale” of Eskom to private European and US companies. The fake news report states that Shanduka would “emerge as a black economic empowerment front in the consortium of international sharks”.
“The future owners of the energy industry that will supply electricity to your home are already decided. It is a matter of time before you know them,” the article claimed.
Ngonyama could not be reached for comment at the time of writing but speaking to the Saturday Dispatch from San Francisco, Ngcaba said people responsible for fake news should face criminal charges.
Ngcaba said he did not contribute to the article in any way and did not know where it came from.
“This article is both destructive and untruthful and I categorically refute any association with it.”
Ngcaba said the fake news report was disingenuous but damaging – not just for the people involved, but potentially for the country too.
He said it was distressing to have his name attributed to content of this nature.
“However it is the fact that it is circulating at a time in our country’s history that is seeing such reassuring steps towards positive change that is of most concern. It really highlights the deliberately detrimental intent and I wholeheartedly condemn it.”
Ngcaba, originally from Duncan Village, said the lesson from this propaganda was that it served as a warning to not confuse fake news with accurate and credible news.
Ngcaba urged people to educate themselves about fake news sites. Africacheck.org was a good place to start, he said. — zolilem@tisoblackstar.co.za
Ngcaba berates ‘fake news’ report on Eskom to be split
Propagandists who authored the article claimed that Eskom would be broken into three parts and each would be sold to the highest bidder in the private sector.
ANC and President Cyril Ramaphosa was accused of lining up his mining company, Shanduka, to benefit from the “sale” of Eskom to private European and US companies. The fake news report states that Shanduka would “emerge as a black economic empowerment front in the consortium of international sharks”.
“The future owners of the energy industry that will supply electricity to your home are already decided. It is a matter of time before you know them,” the article claimed.
Ngonyama could not be reached for comment at the time of writing but speaking to the Saturday Dispatch from San Francisco, Ngcaba said people responsible for fake news should face criminal charges.
Ngcaba said he did not contribute to the article in any way and did not know where it came from.
“This article is both destructive and untruthful and I categorically refute any association with it.”
Ngcaba said the fake news report was disingenuous but damaging – not just for the people involved, but potentially for the country too.
He said it was distressing to have his name attributed to content of this nature.
“However it is the fact that it is circulating at a time in our country’s history that is seeing such reassuring steps towards positive change that is of most concern. It really highlights the deliberately detrimental intent and I wholeheartedly condemn it.”
Ngcaba, originally from Duncan Village, said the lesson from this propaganda was that it served as a warning to not confuse fake news with accurate and credible news.
Ngcaba urged people to educate themselves about fake news sites. Africacheck.org was a good place to start, he said. — zolilem@tisoblackstar.co.za
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