Today is big for Bell Pottinger, the London agency whose dark media arts stirred up so much anger among South Africans. Today’s disciplinary hearing into the firm, hosted by the PR industry’s umbrella body, is being held in camera and at a secret location. Such is the concern at what riled-up Saffers might do to the worthies whose racist social media campaigns set new standards for poor taste.
The outcome of the hearing, however, is already pretty obvious. Bell Pottinger has already resigned the £100,000 a month Gupta account. And it issued a grovelling “full, unequivocal, absolute” apology only days after a London legal firm was brought in to conduct an independent investigation.
What now awaits is the scale of retribution. The Democratic Alliance, which laid the charge, wants that to be meaningful and is demanding the agency reveals all the dirty washing on the Gupta campaign. Others, including rival London firms, believe Bell Pottinger needs to be closed down to save the reputation of an entire professional sector.
On the upside, the group plundering South African national assets, together with their well paid facilitators like Bell Pottinger are now starting to be brought to book. Only a few months ago that prospect appeared impossible. Hope springs.
