The case follows a complaint to the PRCA by South Africa’s main opposition party, the Democratic Alliance, about the campaign run for the Guptas. Bell Pottinger, founded by Margaret Thatcher’s spin doctor Lord Bell, is accused of orchestrating the creation of fake Twitter accounts to target prominent white businesspeople in South Africa to draw attention away from the Gupta family. The Guptas’ Oakbay company was paying Bell Pottinger £100,000 a month for its lobby and PR advice. Bell Pottinger cancelled the contract in April. If found to have violated the association’s professional charter, the maximum penalty Bell Pottinger could face would be termination of its PRCA membership.

Source: The Guardian September 03, 2017 18:56 UTC