Gosiame Sithole. Picture: Twitter/@Piet Rampedi
Journalist Piet Rampedi has broken his silence following the release of the Public Protector’s report on the infamous Tembisa decuplets.
Rampedi has labelled Acting Public Protector advocate Kholeka Gcaleka’s report as “deeply flawed”, saying the findings had “serious shortcomings”.
“The Acting Public Protector got it completely wrong,” he said in a statement on Thursday.
In her report, Gcaleka found no evidence that supports claims made by Gosiame Sithole that she had given birth to 10 children in June 2021.
The 57-page report was released last month, following a complaint made by Teboho Tsotetsi, who was said to be the father of the so-called “Tembisa 10”.
The Acting Public Protector had reviewed numerous affidavits, letters and reports from Gauteng provincial government officials, the South African Police Service (Saps) and others units implicated in the scandal.
She concluded that based on the medical evidence in her possession, Sithole was neither pregnant nor did she deliver decuplets as alleged.
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“Sithole was never admitted at Steve Biko Hospital for delivery of decuplets during 2021 as alleged, but only in 2014 for the delivery of her twins,” the reports reads.
Gcaleka also stated in the report that evidence in the form of statements made by Sithole to illustrate several factual contradictions regarding where she allegedly gave birth to the decuplets, as she mentioned that the delivery of her children occurred at Steve Biko, Sunninghill and Mediclinic Medforum Hospitals.
“According to their records, she was not admitted at any of their facilities.”
The Acting Public Protector, thus, found none of the allegations of maladministration and improper conduct against the parties implicated could be substantiated.
“The Public Protector considers this matter finalised and cannot take it further. Should any party wish to challenge this decision, they are at liberty to explore legal remedies at their disposal.”
Despite the findings, Ramapedi has defended his narrative.
“I still stand by the decuplets story, and believe that in time I will be vindicated. The Acting Public Protector’s report looks like nothing but a blunt tool used to legitimise the government’s previous denials and desperate cover-ups,” he said.
The editor said the Public Protector’s report looked like “a further attempt to exonerate several role players, including officials, politicians and medical practitioners who were revealed to have made a number of errors pre and post delivery by Ms Sithole”.
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“The decuplets story was based on months of engagements and work, first-hand accounts of various sources close to Ms Sithole, including friends and relatives, who had no reason to mislead me. They all corroborated it independently from each other,” he continued.
Rampedi, who was backed by Independent Media owner Iqbal Survé, further argued that the Tembisa 10 story had no sinister motive when it was investigated and written.
“It is sad to see the story turned into a political football to further the ends of undermining my reputation and professional integrity, as well as that of my employers,” he added.
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