The MK veterans association MKMVA's spokesperson Carl Niehaus has issued a breathless three-page statement denouncing reports in the Sunday Times about Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma's relationship with a self-confessed tobacco smuggler and fraudster.
Niehaus -- who has resurfaced as a Dlamini-Zuma acolyte after being disgraced following various allegations of impropriety years ago -- declared the Sunday Times' reports as being "fake news" and has questioned the newspaper's ethical standard.
At the same time the presidency issued a statement rejecting allegations in the same reports that President Zuma has neglected to file tax returns since he became head of state and that he was on the payroll of a benefactor for months after he became president.
Bongani Ngqulunga, Zuma's spokesperson, said in a short statement: "The Presidency rejects the allegations contained in media reports today, 29 October 2017, claiming wrongdoing by President Jacob Zuma in relation to some undeclared funds. President Zuma has declared to the relevant authorities all income received and allegations contained in the reports are misleading and are clearly part of the ongoing smear campaigns. The tax matters of the President are in order.
"The President has also not received any information related to taxes linked to the Nkandla upgrades as alleged by the media," Nqulunga says.
There are however no references to the raft of other allegations contained in the Sunday Times reports which are based on the book of journalist Jacques Pauw titled "The President's Keepers". It was published on Sunday.
The MKMVA, through Niehaus, has decried the reports as "low-down sewer journalistm" and dismissed reports as "embedded advocacy journalism, fabricated news and downright lies".
Some of Niehaus' protestations include:
- "In their eagerness to serve their White Monopoly Capital owners and paymasters the editor and journalists have destroyed the once proud Sunday Times, and turned it into a tabloid rag that specialises in smear campaigns and fake news. Its reputation is in tatters, and it is reduced to being a pawn in White Monopoly Capital's campaign of mass deception to keep our people poor and under economic subjugation."
"Their opposition to Dr. Dlamini Zuma is driven by the fear of their White Monopoly Capital (WMC) masters that she will successfully implement Radical Economic Transformation, and bring an end to their control of the South African economy and their concomitant exploitation of the black majority (especially Africans)."
"The Sunday Slimes must not insult our intelligence. The members of the ANC can see right through their dirty tricks and sleazy smear efforts."
"DOWN WITH THE SUNDAY SLIMES AND FAKE NEWS! DOWN WITH THE MAINSTREAM MEDIA THAT SUPPORTS WHITE MONOPOLY CAPITAL! DOWN WITH WHITE MONOPOLY CAPITAL! FORWARD WITH RADICAL ECONOMIC TRANSFORMATION NOW OR NEVER!"