Russian propaganda campaign targets the DA

A collection of 76 documents has been leaked, allegedly from a widespread disinformation network controlled by Russia operating in Africa and Latin America. 

The documents indicate that Russia has been acting to prevent the Democratic Alliance (DA) from winning votes, attempting to keep its pro-West agenda out of power. 

The party’s Federal Executive Chair, Helen Zille, is now demanding that the State Security Agency investigate foreign funding and coordinated inauthentic behaviour online that interferes with elections and manipulates outcomes.

Forbidden Stories journalist Lea Peruchon spoke of a weeks-long investigation into the documents, conducted by Forbidden Stories in collaboration with the Continent, All Eyes on Wagner, Dossier Centre, OpenDemocracy and iStories. 

“Through open-source research, comparisons with previous investigations and the expertise of European security sources, the consortium confirmed that the documents and their content are authentic,” the publication said. 

The data leak offers insight into Russian operations deployed in more than 30 countries, including South Africa. 

According to the documents, $7.3 million was spent on 10 months of work for the Russian Influence project. It comprised a network of social media campaign experts and public relations specialists, operating under the name: “The Company.”

South Africa was among the top three countries with the highest expenditure on influence campaigns, after the Central African Republic and Mali. 

According to the publication’s research, the goal of the Company was to “launch a counter campaign against the DA party.”

$7.3 million spent on disinformation

Part of this campaign included creating a viral post of racist mugs supposedly ordered for the birthday of the leader of the Democratic Alliance, to leverage the historical perception of the DA as a “white party” and tarnish its image.

A screenshot of a widely circulated tweet showing the mugs with the caption: “A party that promotes a slogan that represents something we have been battling with for years is not a party for the people.”

The screenshot was listed under “ongoing information campaigns” in the document collection. 

“So the Russian agents consider this a victory,” said Peruchon. She added that the goal of the influence campaign is believed to be pushing all Western policies, companies and supporters out of Africa.

“I think they’re trying to push Moscow’s interest in Africa and Latin America,” she said. 

The publications with access to the leaked documents said that the operations were carried out over four months between February and May 2024, the lead-up to South Africa’s 2024 National Elections in May. 

The method used by Moscow to exert influence is repeated over each target country: there is a preparation phase, in which those deployed survey, map actors, and approach high-ranking political figures to infiltrate opinion leaders. 

Following this, destabilisation operations can be launched, which are then amplified by local media. 

The Company viewed the post regarding the racist mugs as a success, with documents detailing that “the hashtag #DAmustfall became, for some time, the most popular in South Africa.”

“At the centre of the discussions was the public recognition of the DA as a source of racism in South African politics. Total reach exceeded 1.5 million users,” the document reads.

Zille said that the party has suspected foreign-linked influence operations running counter to the DA’s campaigns.

“These revelations confirm what many South Africans have long suspected: that coordinated disinformation, racial incitement, and inauthentic online amplification are being used to manipulate political discourse in our country.”

She added that attempts to reignite racial divisions for political gain directly undermines the constitutional project the country has worked for since 1994.

Zille called on the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) to properly oversee digital campaigning leading up to the 2026 local government elections.

“South Africa’s future will be decided at the ballot box by South African voters, not by bots, not by propaganda, and not by foreign operatives.”