The great South African soap opera continued this week, thanks to the NPA and Pravin Gordhan‘s ongoing battle. In the latest episode, NPA chief Shaun Abrahams announced Monday that fraud charges against finance minister Pravin Gordhan will be dropped with immediate effect.
Abrahams, conducting a media briefing, explained that the decision to prosecute Gordhan was not his decision, however he has overruled them regardless. While feigning responsibility for Gordhan’s prosecution, this didn’t stop South Africa’s Twitter masses from laying into the NPA director.
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#ShaunAbrahams began trending on the social network just before midday, while the simpler hashtag #Abrahams joined the trending train soon after.
Google Search traffic told a similar story with searches for “Shaun Abrahams” and “NPA” spiking around 11.30am. “Pravin Gordhan” was also one of the country’s most popular searched terms during this period.
Abrahams’ hour-long presser was followed by a few more minutes for journalists’ hard-hitting questions. Twitter meanwhile, laid into the NPA director’s tedious use of notes and wordy explanations, among other things.
Twitter laid into Shaun Abrahams after charges against Pravin Gordhan were dropped
Here are some of the tweets before, during and after Shaun Abrahams’ presser.
It took #ShaunAbrahams almost an hour to announce that charges are dropped. Something that he could have said in 5 minutes. #PravinGordhan
— Piletji
Sebola (@espee_pee) October 31, 2016
We’re going to have to take a week off to listen to #ShaunAbrahams go through the history of all 783 charges of corruption against Zuma.
— Quinton Bronkhorst (@qornea) October 31, 2016
“According to Clause A, Subsection B, Footnote H, Post-it Note number seven…” #ShaunAbrahams pic.twitter.com/5YgkG4xHRj
— sable banterlope (@comradesipho) October 31, 2016
#shaunabrahams #shaunabrahams #shaunabrahams A FOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL, a political blunder! pic.twitter.com/rP0cmRwMP1
— F’s CartelSyndicate (@DavidCarts01) October 31, 2016
#ShaunAbrahams menu for lunch today #NPA pic.twitter.com/BchPKZmsGJ
— Deon (@Dionysus_) October 31, 2016
When your boss has pulled a legal nyoso but you have to support him anyway #NPA #shaunabrahams pic.twitter.com/vntEGBIIZo
— Siya Tyali (@siya03) October 31, 2016
Are we supposed to take the NPA seriously after this. ? This is a joke & far worse than the SOWETO derby #shaunabrahams
— False Pretender (@musamello) October 31, 2016
Ha! #ShaunAbrahams telling @karynmaughan to ‘keep it short’ and then conveniently not answering her questions. pic.twitter.com/CSaZrxUqDo
— Rob Vember (@Rob_Vember) October 31, 2016
‘Should someones head roll? Ill have to look into that.’
Haaaha..and next week on Days of Our Abrahams. #shaunabrahams
— Daddy (@LifeisSavage) October 31, 2016
Leader of the EFF Julius Malema, also took to Twitter to announce the party plans to march in Pretoria, if Abrahams does not resign.
We are going ahead with our protest on the 02 Nov to demand #shaunabrahams to resign & #ZumaMustFall.Let’s meet @ church square in Pretoria
— Julius Sello Malema (@Julius_S_Malema) October 31, 2016
For a steady stream of Tweets regarding the #ShaunAbrahams saga, follow the rolling updates widget below:
Feature image: SABC Digital News via YouTube
