EFF statement welcoming the sanction by the South African Press Council against News24 for falsely claiming the EFF and Julius Malema are funded by Carnilinx and Adriano Mazzoti
18 April 2024
The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) welcomes the damning ruling by the South African Press Council (Press Council), against the racist and fake news peddling publication News24, which has for years peddled the narrative that the EFF and EFF President Julius Malema, are funded by the company Carnilinx and one Mr Adriano Mazzoti.
In two articles authored by the renowned racist and anti-EFF editor Adriaan Basson and journalist Cebelihle Mthethwa, and subsequently published by News24, the two insinuated and stated as fact that cigarette company Carnilinx and businessman Adriano Mazzoti are major funders of both the EFF and the Commander in Chief Julius Malema.
These insinuations and allegations have for years been presented as fact by many within the media fratemity, particularly those who have adopted an agenda to portray the EFF and its leadership in a negative light without any shred of evidence. At the lead of this crusade has been Adriaan Basson, who has frequently tumed News24 into an anti-EFF pamphlet in particular, and an anti-African publication in general.
In its adjudication of a complaint raised by Mr. Mazzoti, regarding these two articles and the allegations contained in them, the Press Council found that News24 was in breach of the following clauses of the South African Press Code: