From Posts to Pearly Whites: Pearl Thusi Deletes Past Critiques of Zimbabwean Government
South African actress Pearl Thusi has recently taken down certain older posts from her social media accounts that had previously criticised the Zimbabwean government for its alleged human rights violations and expressed solidarity with the #ZimbabweanLivesMatter movement in 2020.
Zim Propaganda Initiative
This decision comes following her visit to Zimbabwe alongside fellow celebrities Sonia Mbele and Sello Maake ka Ncube, as well as Mzansi journalists. During their trip, they also had meetings with President Emmerson Mnangagwa and other prominent figures from the ruling ZANU PF party.
The visit was part of an organized tour called “The True Zimbabwe Tour,” which aimed to showcase the achievements and ongoing development projects under the Mnangagwa administration.
However, this visit has sparked criticism from both Zimbabweans and South Africans, with many accusing the celebrities of indirectly endorsing a regime that has been accused of suppressing dissent, detaining and mistreating journalists and opposition activists, and failing to effectively address the nation’s economic and social challenges.
Some of Pearl Thusi’s followers have also expressed feelings of betrayal and disappointment, as they reminded her of her past posts that had condemned the Zimbabwean government and supported the #ZimbabweanLivesMatter campaign. This campaign, inspired by the global Black Lives Matter movement, was initiated in August 2020 in response to the reported arrests, abductions, and mistreatment of political activists and journalists in Zimbabwe.
Peal Thusi Deletes All Zimbabwean Government Criticism Posts
Pearl Thusi, who boasts over 4 million followers on Instagram and more than 3 million on Twitter, has removed certain posts that previously displayed her support for the campaign. For instance, a post from August 4, 2020, where she stated, “I stand with you Zimbabwe. I love you. I’m sorry you’re going through this. #ZimbabweanLivesMatter,” is no longer visible.
She has also taken down another post from August 5, 2020, which featured a video of a Zimbabwean woman sharing her experience of being abducted and allegedly tortured by individuals believed to be state agents.
While Pearl Thusi has not publicly addressed the reason behind the removal of her previous posts or the controversy surrounding her visit to Zimbabwe, there has been speculation that external pressures or incentives, potentially from the Zimbabwean government or ZANU PF, may have influenced her decision to erase these posts and promote a positive image of the country.