MINISTER SISULU RESPONDS TO MALICIOUS AND DEFAMATORY ARTICLE BY AMABHUNGANE

25 October 2022

Tourism Minister Lindiwe Sisulu has noted a malicious and defamatory article published today by Amabhungane tittled "Sisulu insiders warn: Appoint Lindiwe and you get her controlling advisor thrown in."

Sadly, the article doubles down on the notion of women being powerless and subservient to men. It does a huge disservice to the work done by women rights activists, including Minister Sisulu, as it insinuates that women like the Minister, who is the longest serving cabinet minister, are incapable of standing their ground and need men to think for them. In this instance, a male who has no political office.

It is clear that the false and libellous article, co-penned by well-known apartheid agent, Sam Sole now masquerading as a credible journalist, is not concerned with informing the public truthfully and objectively. To the contrary, the pathetic article is aimed at influencing ANC branches ahead of the party's upcoming national elective conference in December.

Nothing demonstrates this than the headline and the last sentence which reveal the entire sinister agenda of Amabhungane and their handlers. The headline screams: "Sisulu insiders warn: Appoint Lindiwe and you get her controlling advisor thrown in." The last sentence of the article states: "What is clear is that whatever choice the ANC makes, Sisulu and Mdekazi come as a package — with baggage."

"The headline and the conclusion of this falsehood-litterred article make it patently obvious that Amabungane have chosen to be political players captured by right-wing, neo-liberal forces and their puppets whose aim it is to impose political leadership on the ANC and the people of South Africa by discrediting and tarnishing the reputation of prominent black leaders who have a different narrative to that collectively pushed by propaganda platforms such as Amabungane," said Minister Sisulu.

She added: "It is glaring that the slanderous article has nothing to do with exposing the truth, but is entirely based on lies aimed at discrediting me ahead of the ANC's elective conference."

"The timing of the article is also quite curious and should not fool anyone. That it was released hours after the leaking of an explosive letter by former Director General of State Security Agency (SSA) Arthur Fraser, exposes Amabhungane and their handlers' agenda to use me to remove the Phala Phala scandal from public discourse."

"I have bad news for Amabungane: You will never succeed. I have been in politics all my life and my impeccable track record in government, spanning more than two decades (which you will never report on for obvious reasons) speaks for itself."

"You will never report on millions of houses that were built under my tenure as Human Settlements Minister. You will never report about my anti-corruption stance in all portfolios I've served. You will never report about clean audits achieved by various government departments under my leadership. You will, of course never report on the sterling job I did at Defence, DIRCO and Public Service and Administration where workers never took to the streets.

Minister Sisulu added that the "this proud track record will never be eroded by sponsored propaganda written by an apartheid agent. My standing for ANC Presidency in the upcoming conference is purely motivated by my successes in government and by my unmatched track record in the liberation struggle."

"Your handlers and paymasters have, through state machinery and other nefarious means dismally failed to achieve what they want to achieve now (to bring me down). Like all

dismally failed to achieve what they want to achieve now (to bring me down). Like all previous vicious attempts to tarnish my image and reputation, yours too, won't succeed because you are amateurs. ANC branches and South Africans won't be deceived by your article which is nothing but an orchestrated, staged and scripted plan aimed at eliminating some of us out of the leadership race of my party.

Minister Sisulu reiterated that "it is the will of ANC branches that will prevail in December and they will never be influenced by the amateurish propaganda tools like Amabungane, no matter how hard," they try to discredit her.

I remain humbled by plus-minus fifty five nominations that we receive on average on a daily basis from the ANC Branch General Meetings. The endorsements we continue to receive from ANC branches across the country who continue to nominate me should send an eloquent message to Amabhungane and their ilk that their sustained efforts to destroy me won't succeed."

Minister Sisulu concluded: "I want to place it in record that I will never leave Amabhungane's article, sourced from apartheid intelligence operatives unchallenged. In this regard, my rights are fully reserved.

Issued for Ministry of Tourism by Steve Motale, 25 October 2022