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Watch – Manufactured praise: The strange campaign around Senzo Mchunu

Senior journalist Rebecca Davis highlights a disturbing trend on South African social media: fake accounts, copy-paste tweets, and manufactured praise for politicians. From the ANC to ActionSA, online manipulation is simulating public support and it’s already impacting political discourse. With the 2026 elections around the corner, this could be a threat to democracy.
Watch – Manufactured praise: The strange campaign around Senzo Mchunu Illustrative image: Police Minister Senzo Mchunu. (Photo: Gallo Images / Volksblad / Mlungisi Louw) | Maverick Studios
Rebecca Davis
By Rebecca Davis
9 Jul 2025
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Reporting by: Rebecca Davis
Edited by: Rufaro Chiswo
Animation by: Rufaro Chiswo
Produced by: Emilie Gambade
Filmed by: Bernard Kotze & Joel Seboa
Sub-edited by: Mike van Olst

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Comments

Jul 10, 2025, 09:19 AM

The very dirty ANC washing is now being aired for the whole country to digest. If the Mkhwanazi debacle has even a grain of truth it may spell the end of Mchunu in parliament and will be a crushing blow to the ANC in next year's local elections. The DA must now start campaigning in earnest if the country is to survive the turmoil of Ramaphosa's disastrous leadership and the horrendous prospect of Paul Mashatile taking over from him.