Communications minister Dina Pule's allegations against the Sunday Times newspaper, which has featured a series of scathing articles about her over the past year, have caused a stir both in the industry and among the general public.
The under-fire minister has categorically asserted she has no intentions of stepping down and - confident that she will be vindicated of corruption, cronyism and mismanagement - says she remains "unshaken".
But many in the "court of public opinion" are baying for her blood, adamant that she should either step down or be fired. Pule has been in the ministerial post for just over 16 months.
Soon after Pule stepped up to the podium at the short-notice press conference to make an "important announcement" yesterday, the hashtag #DinaPule found its way to the top of Twitter's SA trends list.
Tough crowd
The sentiment echoed in rolling posts on Twitter's feed since Pule publicly retaliated, claiming the Sunday Times is guilty of a "smear campaign" (driven by bribery) against her, has been hostile and unsympathetic - with many expressing disbelief at the "bizarre" allegations.
Just some of the many like-minded tweets include: "Gob smacked! Statement by Minister of Communications Ms #DinaPule in response to Sunday Times."
"#DinaPule Don't deviate attention from your failures."
"#DinaPule you won't step down because no one else in their right mind would employ you and pay you what we taxpayers do. #Useless"
"So Dina Pule is going to continue denying everything even when presented with an opportunity to dismiss lies and put facts.#FirePule"
"It has become tiring to hear politicians accusing the media of smear campaigns. They must sue or prove otherwise! #DinaPule"
"Why would the media discredit the #DinaPule? Her political career is already in the dustbin." (sic)
"Looks like Comms Minister Dina Pule has totally lost it this time. Accusing the Sunday Times and individual journalists of blackmailing her." (sic)
"Ministers don't deliver of fail at their jobs and blame media. #DinaPule. She must just go, resign and become a full time girlfriend." (sic)
"That minister #DinaPule presser was really bizarre. I think just the parliamentary committee probing her should open it up for all of us."
Putting a tongue-in-cheek spin on the issue, the spoof Telkom account @TelkomRSA tweeted: "With Dina Pule in charge of DoC, we at Telkom look like beacons of efficiency by comparison!#TeamPule"
In Pule's defence
Painting another picture in the war of words between Pule and the Sunday Times, Bart Henderson, president of the South African Institute of Corporate Fraud Management, underpins Pule's argument.
In response to Sunday Times editor Phylicia Oppelt's rejoinder late yesterday, in which Oppelt urges Pule to come forward with proof of her allegations, Henderson says: "The Sunday Times says - if the minister has evidence that these businessmen were somehow attempting to influence the Sunday Times, please can she name them and their interests in an open forum.
"Not this time folks. If the Sunday Times has been accused of gross breaches of ethics, have been accused of bringing businessmen to the table and admit that in fact there were businessmen at this meeting, why will the Sunday Times themselves not identify who was there? Why has the Sunday Times never covered this meeting in any of their stories?
"There is only one logical reason why you haven't [named the businessmen] and that's because you can't. The minister can, but she won't, because you have to.
"Let the minister face her peers in Parliament; let her face her Public Protector.
"Let your journalist face the public and his peers."
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