The #FreeJacobZuma campaign condemns the intensification of the harassment and intimidation of our supporters, and of democratic, freedom loving South Africans, in general
29 August 2021
The #FreeJacobZuma campaign is appalled by the increasing harassment and intimidation of courageous South Africans who have not allowed themselves to be silenced, and who continued to call for the immediate release of President Jacob Zuma from his illegal political imprisonment.
We have warned that there is a deliberate and concerted effort to intimidate and silence those South Africans who are not prepared to accept the gross injustice that is being committed against President Zuma, and who furthermore call for economic justice through the implementation of Radical Economic Transformation (RET), which is the official economic policy program of the ANC. In the process the state law enforcement agencies, especially the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), are being abused to repress freedom of speech and democracy in general. Such are the actions of a repressive State, that is fast becoming a dictatorship.
The #FreeJacobZuma campaign has warned that those of us who care about democracy, freedom of speech, and the protection of our hard fought for civil liberties, must be under no illusion about the intolerant and vicious tsunami of repressive undemocratic action that we are now increasingly up against.
This correctness of this warning was yesterday sadly confirmed when the Directorate For Priority Crime Investigation (the so-called HAWKS), issued a statement that they have arrested two South African citizens, owner in KwaZulu-Natal and the other in Gauteng, who are respectively 35 and 36 year old, whom they tarnished with the propaganda term, ‘suspects’.
The apparent allegation is that social media platforms have been used for the “incitement of public violence”. While the name of the 35 year old male, who was arrested in KwaZulu-Natal, had not been announced, the 36 woman who was arrested in Gauteng, was identified by her Twitter account name: ‘Sphithipthi Evaluator’ @_AfricanSoil.
It is our considered opinion that these arrests are not related to the stoking on of violence, or any illegal activity, but in pursuit of the disingenuous and malicious Stratcom propaganda lie that supporters of the #FreeJacobZuma campaign are somehow involved in having used social media to stoke on a non-existent ‘insurrection’. This is done in order to justify the criminalization of legitimate democratic opposition, and freedom of speech, in order to use the repressive state apparatuses to harass and arrest those who expose the wrongdoings of government, and specifically the illegality of President Zuma’s continuing political imprisonment.
The #FreeJacobZuma campaign is convinced that this is the only reason why ‘Sphithipi Evaluator’ had been arrested is to intimidate her, and to try and silence her strident voice for justice for President Zuma, and overall for the economic transformation and justice so long denied to the majority of long-suffering black (and especially African) poor in our country.
The ‘Sphithipthi Evaluator’ @_AfricanSoil Twitter account is known for expressions of love and support for President Jacob Zuma, and for exposing the association of senior leaders in government to corruption, and their servitude to White Monopoly Capitalism (WMC). As uncomfortable, irritating, and compromising this may be to them, that is not a crime!
In fact it is our believe that this Twitter account contributes hugely to exposing what is wrong in our South African society. The account contributes hugely in promoting transparency, and exposing the wrongdoings of those who are selling out our revolution. This, we believe, is ultimately the reason why ‘Sphithipthi Evaluator’ is now so viciously targeted.
‘Sphithipthi Evaluator’s’ court appearance tomorrow at the Palm Ridge magistrate court is ultimately intended to reveal her identity, and to subject her to increased victimization. We are appalled by the failure of Twitter to protect the identity of its users, which flies in the face of its own policies, as well as for the NPA and HAWKS to presume the identity of Twitter users.
In saying #HandsOffSphithipthiEvaluator, and expressing our support for her, and all the other victims of increasing state repression, the #FreeJacobZuma reiterates that we will not allow ourselves to be intimidated, and we will continue with our sacred democratic and revolutionary mission.
We will continue to call for the immediate, and unconditional release of President Jacob Zuma.
In doing so we will continue to speak out fearlessly, and exercise our constitutional right to freedom of speech. We will continue to mobilize peaceful rolling mass actions, which are lawful, in order to advance our legitimate democratic revolutionary objectives.
A LUTA CONTINUA!
Issued by Carl Niehaus on behalf of the #FreeJacobZuma campaign, 29 August 2021
