By Staff Reporter 
Jul 14, 2021
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Kenneth Mokgatlhe
DUDUZANE Zuma, the son of imprisoned former president Jacob Zuma, does not have social media accounts and he says those using his name are trying to make him look bad.
Duduzane was speaking during an Editor’s Table session he had with Independent Media on Tuesday.
There are five Twitter accounts using the name Duduzane Zuma, with three accounts having been discontinued years ago.
The Star has learnt that the pseudo account impersonating Zuma belongs to a Twitter user called “Bantukazi Biko” and the account was rebranded to @Duduzane_Zuma on August 22, 2017.
According to political analyst Thando Dotyeni, social media have become an effective way of fighting political battles.
“The disinformation campaign’s primary intent could have been to pursue a political goal which may have sought to discredit Duduzane Zuma.
“It may also have been a ploy to raise money from his name. While his father has distanced himself from the fake account, thousands may still fall for the trick,” Dotyeni said.
On Monday, Duduzane appeared in a 12-minute long video condemning the riots, which rocked some parts of the country since last week.
The video, says Duduzane, was doctored to purport him encouraging the looting.
In a recent explanatory video, Duduzane said: “Death and destruction are not a solution. Vandalism, threats are not a solution.
“We need to find ways to deal with the situation; it is spiralling out of control.
“To start with, I do not form part of any social media platform, I am not on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook.”
Speaking to the Star, he said: “Some out there would do anything to make me look bad. I’m on record speaking against looting.
“I will be on the ground myself speaking to communities. Yes there are issues stemming from JZ’s arrest, but we also have issues of poverty.
“We must address those issues… violence and looting are not the way to it,” he said.
Despite Zuma failing to take part in proceedings in the Constitutional Court, which ultimately led to his arrest for contempt of court, Duduzane insisted his father deserved a “fair trial”.
“My father deserves a fair trial. But he needs a trial first, whatever the outcome will be. I last spoke to him the night before he handed himself in. He deserves a fair trial.”
The Star