‘Thembisa 10’: Gauteng government to sue Independent Media

The Gauteng government has announced that it will not take lightly the Independent Media Group’s claims of human trafficking, illegal detention, and a grand baby smuggling conspiracy, and plans to take the matter to court.

This was announced in a statement sent on Wednesday afternoon, following Independent Media Group boss Iqbal Survé’s media briefing where the claims were made.

“The provincial government has instructed the State Attorney to institute legal action against the Independent Media group,” reads a statement from the provincial government.

“A senior counsel has been briefed and court papers will be served on the Independent Media in due course.”

The provincial government stood by its story that there was no such delivery at any of its facilities.

“The woman claiming to have given birth to decuplets was admitted to Thembisa hospital on 18 June 2021, and various medical tests were conducted on her to determine her state of health.

“The doctors established that the woman did not give birth to any babies, nor was she pregnant in recent times.

ALSO READ: Independent’s decuplet baby smuggling claims ‘false rumour mongering’ – hospital

“The provincial government cannot stand by while serious allegations are made against nurses, doctors, hospital management and health officials.

“These are women and men of integrity who are working selflessly and honestly every day to save lives and at times even risking their own lives. Government is duty bound to protect the integrity of all government officials as well as that of public institutions. “

Survé accused government hospitals of being the “epicentre” of human trafficking, and powerful politicians of threatening all doctors, nurses, and staff who thought of exposing these activities of legal action, and having their careers destroyed.

Steve Biko hospital and others, as well as government departments are allegedly part of a human-trafficking ring that exploits vulnerable patients, especially vulnerable black women, Survé claimed.

Babies are supposedly used for muti, cosmetic purposes and stem cell research.

The decuplets have yet to make a public appearance, while even their relatives have since questioned their existence.

• Additional reporting by Earl Coetzee