State capture inquiry commission accused of protecting journalists paid by Bosasa
State capture inquiry commission accused of protecting journalists paid by Bosasa. The failure of the Zondo commission of inquiry into state capture to ask former Bosasa COO Angelo Agrizzi to name the three journalists he alleged were paid to write favourable stories about the controversial company has been called into question on social media. Questions have been asked as to why Agrizzi was not requested to name journalists but was requested to name politicians.
The Citizen reported earlier on Thursday that Agrizzi told the commission of inquiry into state capture that the company paid journalists to write positive stories about the controversial company.
Some have identified what they see as a double standard, as politicians have been named at the commission at Deputy Chief Justice Zondo’s request, leading them to question why journalists have not.
One user accused Zondo of “protecting journalists” and another accused the commission of “deliberately avoiding asking Agrizzi to name” the alleged paid journalists.
Agrizzi does not name the journalists being paid.
(Hopefully Pretorius will ask!!)#StateCaptureInquiry
— Ranjeni Munusamy (@RanjeniM) January 24, 2019
https://twitter.com/vngalwana/status/1088369742816137216
I feel like Zondo is protecting Journalists at #StateCaptureInquiry why don't he ask Agrizzi to name them yet Politicians have been named https://t.co/EwaGJ1n5CK
— Jolinkomo (@ThamiMilis) January 24, 2019
https://twitter.com/WeleSeg/status/1088365672936153093
If they don't order #Agrizzi to name journalists who were on #Bosasa pay-roll, then we're well within our rights to apply a blanket approach to all journalists as Bosasa vigilante journalists. #BosasaBribes#StateCaptureInquiry
— Bra Hloni (@BraHlonisky) January 24, 2019
#StateCaptureInquiry Was hoping that Agrizzi would name the journalists implicated in the corruption at Bosasa. We want to know. #sabcnews
— mzwandile mbeje (@mzwaimbeje) January 24, 2019
https://twitter.com/Mshengu_1/status/1088352738294054912
A recent Times Live report claimed Agrizzi had instructed his colleagues to donate R100,000 to the 2016 crowdfunding effort to help The SABC8, a group of journalists who defied then COO Hlaudi Motsoeneng’s orders to not show violent service delivery protests.
The publication further claimed to have seen a leaked email in which the donation was described as “the best return on investment ever” but added they were not able to trace the funds back to Bosasa despite consulting sources close to the story.
The South African National Editors’ Forum (SANEF) has since hit back against the claims.
“We have had the opportunity to go through [each] of the 394 donations made in July 2016 to the cause and could not find any donation from Bosasa and/or a person connected to Bosasa or a donation for R100,000,” said the organisation’s leadership in a statement.
The group of journalists themselves have also released a statement. “We do not know who the donors were in the crowdfunding initiative, some identified themselves and some remained anonymous,” they said.
They went on to add that “it is interesting to note that the same Bosasa that apparently funded us is the same one that paid the legal costs for Hlaudi Motsoeneng, against whom we fought to save a public asset from further capture”.
“We remain steadfast and committed and we will not be swayed by the purveyors of fake news.
Source: The Citizen
