By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) on Sunday announced that it was taking legal action against a Richards Bay businessman, Sheldon Cramer for propagating “fake and manipulated content across social media platforms” concerning its leader John Steenhuisen and party’s shadow minister of Justice Glynnis Breytenbach.
Breytenbach said, “The DA is pursuing legal action against Cramer, who shamelessly propagated fake and manipulated content across social media platforms”.
She said: “Operating under the TikTok handle @bobbygreenhash, Cramer disseminated a fabricated audio clip claiming to feature DA MP Advocate Glynnis Breytenbach confirming that Federal leader John Steenhuisen had leveraged the Western Cape as collateral for a multimillion-rand loan from the Bezos Foundation in America.”
“The malicious voicenote also included a direct threat against Steenhuisen.”
She said Cramer, unfazed by the consequences of his deceit, went further to assert that NASA planes circling Cape Town were evidence of this alleged transaction, urging people to act before it was too late.
“He brazenly called on supporters to ‘repost this video’ to spread the unfounded message,” said Breytenbach.
“While TikTok promptly removed the video, and Cramer seemingly deleted it from his Facebook page, such reactive measures are akin to closing the stable door after the horse has bolted.
“The video persists on various social media platforms and has circulated through WhatsApp groups.”
Breytenbach said the party was guided by legal counsel in taking legal action.
The DA has initiated legal proceedings against Cramer under sections of the Cybercrimes ACT 19 of 2020, targeting his role in making, publishing, and disseminating threatening and defamatory statements concerning the party, its leader Steenhuisen, and Breytenbach.