‘Rogue unit’ journalist Rampedi launches petition for judicial inquiry into ‘media capture’ by ‘cabals’

Sunday Independent head of investigations Piet Rampedi has launched a petition calling for a judicial commission of inquiry into “media capture”.

Rampedi was co-author of a series of reports on the so-called Sars “rogue unit” while at Sunday Times, which retracted the stories and apologised for them after the media ombudsman found them “inaccurate, misleading, and unfair”.

Following the release of a report by Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane, which found Minister of Public Enterprises Pravin Gordhan violated the constitution over his alleged role in the unit, the “rogue unit” narrative made a comeback in SA’s political discourse and has been embraced by the EFF as well as those seen as Zuma loyalists or part of the “radical economic transformation” faction within the ANC.

This led to Rampedi lashing out on social media against a host of those he accuses of being part of a “media cabal” in the service of Gordhan, with unproven allegations directed at some of SA’s top journalists and publishers.

Now, he has taken things a step further, launching a petition on change.org accusing “mainstream journalists” of “behaving like political players” and “serving biased news and coverage”.

The petition had received 5,317 signatures at the time of publication.

He claimed there was “narrative fixing by some media ‘cabals’, doing positive spin for some and negative spin for others”.

“The majority of the mainstream media conducts themselves as public relations tools for specific individuals, political formations and businesses.”

He accuses the media of having “destroyed careers and misled the public”, which he says  “has taken away the public’s constitutional right to freedom of expression”, and calls for a commission of inquiry into alleged “media capture, with specific focus on narrative fixing by some ‘cabals’, political manipulation and disinformation campaigns against targeted individuals”.

READ MORE: IGI to investigate Mkhwebane, Rampedi and more over ‘rogue unit’ narrative

Rampedi himself has been accused of “narrative fixing”, or at least being used by those attempting to undermine Sars’ credibility under former president Jacob Zuma.

Inspector-general of intelligence (IGI) Setlhomamaru Dintwe has launched an investigation into people including Rampedi and his Sunday Independent colleague and co-author of the “rogue unit” reports Mzilikazi wa Afrika, as well as others alleged to be behind a campaign to discredit Sars, through, among other means, the “rogue unit” narrative.

Mkhwebane, British American Tobacco (BAT) employees, former Sars officials, and crime intelligence officials are also going to be investigated for their alleged involvement in pushing the narrative.

A report released by Mkhwebane earlier this year found that allegations that the “rogue unit” was established illegally were substantiated and that Gordhan should have been aware of the unit while operating as Sars commissioner. She found Sars guilty of “maladministration, corruption, and improper conduct”.

Gordhan, who is in the process of taking the report on review in an attempt to have it overturned, is among those who have long maintained that the “rogue unit” allegations arose as part of a plan to discredit Sars.

In an affidavit to have the 30-day limit on remedial action called for in the report, Gordhan wrote: “There is no legal or other obstacle to Sars establishing and operating a variety of investigation units to strengthen tax compliance and enforcement. This is in accordance with international best practice. The investigating unit lawfully established by Sars investigated tax rogues. There is nothing rogue about its establishment.”

The “persistent claim to the contrary,” Gordhan continued, is a lie and “fake news”.

“It is a falsehood that is repeated and repeated and repeated by some in the hope that someone will believe that there must be something there,” Gordhan said, calling Mkhwebane’s report “irrational, unreasonable, unlawful, unconstitutional and invalid”.

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