We are caught in an alternative universe

Bell Pottinger is paid to spin facts into a narrative favourable to clients, but the spin they put on their own apology to South Africa was breathtaking in its refusal to acknowledge reality. Company chief executive James Henderson effectively threw his own partners and staff under the bus when he said Bell Pottinger’s senior management had been “misled” over the nature of the work it had performed for the Gupta-owned company, Oakbay.

As we all know by now, that work included weaving a toxic, racially divisive bogeyman called “white monopoly capital”, as a way of diverting attention away from the Guptas and the snowballing allegations that they had not only captured President Jacob Zuma, but large chunks of state apparatus, too.

It beggars belief that such a lucrative public relations campaign was conducted without the full knowledge of the higher-ups in the company. And remember, earlier this year, the company strenuously denied it was doing anything wrong and claimed, in turn, that it was the victim of a “smear campaign”.

We think you lied then, and we think you are being economical with the truth now, Mr Henderson.

Thank goodness for “people power” and especially the power of South Africa’s “net-izens” who used social media to finally overwhelm Bell Pottinger and shame it into carrying out a supposedly independent probe into its work for the Guptas.

However, the row about Bell Pottinger is, in reality, a mere sideshow to the heinous and shameless looting of the state which is going on under our noses.

There is so much evidence already out there and it continues to mount up daily. Yet Zuma and his acolytes stare down their accusers with a bare-faced cheek which makes even Bell Pottinger’s insensitive apology look heartfelt.

We seem to be caught in an alternative universe, where right and wrong have been swopped around.