Expelled politician Carl Niehaus plays low-budget April Fool’s joke, claims Ramaphosa arrested for fraud

Former ANC spokesperson and fervent Jacob Zuma supporter, Carl Niehaus, was clearly champing at the bit to have a go at President Cyril Ramaphosa on Saturday, 1 April – April Fool’s Day.

The tweet, which included a poorly-made image of Ramaphosa next to a handcuffed man, was met with criticism and skepticism.

In an early morning tweet –  at 5:34 – the expelled politician posted a write-up that claims Ramaphosa was arrested by the Hawks “in the early hours of this morning” for fraud, money laundering, bribery, tax evasion and other crimes.

READ: Mbeki Letter: Former president came gun-blazing at ANC members

Ramaphosa’s face is positioned next to a handcuffed man holding US dollars for visual impact. The kicker is the following paragraph:

“ANC Secretary-General, Fikile Mbalula, said that the arrest of Ramaphosa us [sic] welcomed by the ANC, because the rule of law must prevail, and every South African citizen must be treated equally.

READ: ‘Cyril Ramaphosa doesn’t care about the people’: Pearl Thusi

“He added that those who are involved in crime and corruption must know that they will be apprehended, without fear or favour.”

It isn’t immediately clear whether Niehaus has fallen victim to a very poor April’s Fool Joke – or whether this was his own concoction.

READ: ‘Constitutional delinquent’: EFF accuses Ramaphosa of tax evasion, reiterates call for him to resign

“If you are going to want to play an April Fool’s joke Oom, get a more convincing layout, images, font, etc. I’m a ghostwriter, you could have asked me. At very first glance that thing looks like it was written [and] printed in Yeoville. These internet cafés where every service is R5,” wrote a Twitter user in response.

If you are going to want to play an April Fool's joke Oom, get a more convincing layout, images, font, etc. I'm a ghost writer, you could have asked me. At very first glance that thing looks like it was written&printed in Yeoville.These internet cafés where every service is R5

— 💚Ausi Nengwi 💚 (@TheRealNengwi) April 1, 2023

Carl launched his own political party earlier this year

After his expulsion from the ANC in December, Niehaus launched his very own political party – the African Radical Economic Transformation Alliance (ARETA), in February. It wasn’t a joke. According to News24, the politician did not dismiss the possibility of the party contesting the upcoming national and provincial elections.

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