Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) head Robert McBride says he is instituting several litigations against a number of people involved in having him prosecuted.
McBride’s statement follows an apology by the Sunday Times for a series of planted stories implicating top SARS and Hawks officials.
Two reporters, Mzikilikazi wa Afrika and Stephan Hofstatter have since been fired and all rewards and prizes they received for those particular stories are being returned.
There is growing pressure on journalists to reveal their sources that deliberately feed them with misinformation.
More of the victims are now speaking out and McBride is one of them.
McBride says, “We do support the freedom of the media, but with the freedom goes serious responsibility. Sunday Times hasn’t lived up to that responsibility. Now, in our case you’ll see in the Sunday Times apology, there’s no mention of IPID, and yet we were charged because we failed to dance to the tune of Minister Nkosinathi Nhleko, Mthandazo Berning Ntlemeza and the Richard Mdluli crew, to nail Anwar Dramat and Shadrack Sibiya.”
Another victim, former KwaZulu-Natal Hawks head Johan Booysen, who was accused of heading the so-called Cator Manor death squad, says he wants more than just an apology.
“I will most definitely discuss the matter with my legal team, to see if I cannot take civil action against those journalists in their personal capacity.”
