Controversial X account operator @Goolamv found dead in Sandton hotel
SERVED COURT PAPERS
Goolam Muhammed Suliman Vawda, 49, had been using the social media alias @goolammv to discredit and threaten journalists, government officials, entrepreneurs, and politicians from South Africa for six years.
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CONTROVERSIAL figure Goolam Vawda, known for operating the @Goolamv account on X, has been found dead in a Johannesburg hotel shortly after being served with court papers.
The political 'information peddler' with alleged ties to high-ranking ANC officials was facing charges of fraud, cyberbullying and hate speech.
Sources close to the investigation revealed the POST’s sister publication, The Star that Vawda was served court papers earlier this week relating to serious charges including fraud, cyberbullying, hate speech, and publishing defamatory content targeting politicians, media personalities, and others.
Unmasked in 2024 by Independent Media, Vawda had a controversial history, repeatedly shifting his political loyalties.
He was accused of being not only a tenderpreneur but also a political influencer associated with high-ranking African National Congress (ANC) officials, and who also had ties to the party's Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula.
His involvement in South Africa’s political theatre was both deep and shadowy, as he was known for using the infamously deceptive @Goolamv account to manipulate narratives and public sentiment.
The account, which has attracted the ire of many, was described as a "sock puppet," employed strategically to sway support from former President Jacob Zuma to Cyril Ramaphosa, and later to the Democratic Alliance and ANC's Government of National Unity. Analysts suggest that Vawda had access to sensitive government information, including details regarding ministerial appointments. Moreover, reports indicate that he was possibly amplified by a bot network, emphasising the reliance on artificial capabilities to elevate his messages.
As law enforcement continues to unravel the layers of Vawda's alleged fraudulent activities, the implications of his operations and connections linger heavily over the political landscape. This situation has exposed the intertwining of politics, social media, and the potential for misinformation—a dynamic that not only impacts public perception but also the integrity of established political systems.
This is a developing story.