COMMUNICATIONS Minister Dina Pule must provide evidence that the Sunday Times was involved in a smear and blackmail campaign against her, editor Phylicia Oppelt said yesterday .
“If she cannot, she should do the right thing and publicly apologise,” Oppelt said in a statement.
“If the minister has any evidence … we invite her to give this to the newspaper so we can deal with it appropriately.”
Earlier, Pule told reporters a series of articles by the newspaper formed part of a highly sophisticated campaign against her.
She alleged that business people linked to the newspaper had a vested interest in trying to secure a multi- billion rand set-top-box tender and were willing to do anything to get it.
Set-top-boxes are required for the move from analogue to digital TV broadcasting.
Pule said high-profile business people and politicians tried to force her into making decisions in their favour.
She detailed several stories written about her which, she claimed, sought to project her as a corrupt minister .
She is alleged to have given tenders to a boyfriend, meddled in tender processes and interfered in the appointment of officials.
Pule said the newspaper did not provide a “shred of evidence”.
She said Phosane Mngqibisa, the man described by the Sunday Times as her boyfriend, was in fact her “comrade”.
Pule said the matter had been taken up with the Press Ombudsman, but no legal action or police charge had been registered.
Said Oppelt: “We find it unfortunate that rather than dealing with the essence of the claims against her, she proceeds to attack the messenger of the stories.”
The numerous articles written about Pule were in the public interest and “with no other motivation in mind”, the editor said.
Pule accused several journalists of involvement in the smear campaign, including Mzilikazi wa Afrika, Rob Rose, and Stephan Hofstatter.
She described Wa Afrika as a journalist with a “highly questionable” background who allegedly had an association with businessmen and companies linked to the box tender through a cellphone business venture.
Pule further claimed one of Wa Afrika’s relatives tried to secure a meeting with her and went as far as “to propose love” to her.
Oppelt said Wa Afrika was not involved in any such cellphone business. — Sapa
Oppelt: Pule must prove accusations
“If she cannot, she should do the right thing and publicly apologise,” Oppelt said in a statement.
“If the minister has any evidence … we invite her to give this to the newspaper so we can deal with it appropriately.”
Earlier, Pule told reporters a series of articles by the newspaper formed part of a highly sophisticated campaign against her.
She alleged that business people linked to the newspaper had a vested interest in trying to secure a multi- billion rand set-top-box tender and were willing to do anything to get it.
Set-top-boxes are required for the move from analogue to digital TV broadcasting.
Pule said high-profile business people and politicians tried to force her into making decisions in their favour.
She detailed several stories written about her which, she claimed, sought to project her as a corrupt minister .
She is alleged to have given tenders to a boyfriend, meddled in tender processes and interfered in the appointment of officials.
Pule said the newspaper did not provide a “shred of evidence”.
She said Phosane Mngqibisa, the man described by the Sunday Times as her boyfriend, was in fact her “comrade”.
Pule said the matter had been taken up with the Press Ombudsman, but no legal action or police charge had been registered.
Said Oppelt: “We find it unfortunate that rather than dealing with the essence of the claims against her, she proceeds to attack the messenger of the stories.”
The numerous articles written about Pule were in the public interest and “with no other motivation in mind”, the editor said.
Pule accused several journalists of involvement in the smear campaign, including Mzilikazi wa Afrika, Rob Rose, and Stephan Hofstatter.
She described Wa Afrika as a journalist with a “highly questionable” background who allegedly had an association with businessmen and companies linked to the box tender through a cellphone business venture.
Pule further claimed one of Wa Afrika’s relatives tried to secure a meeting with her and went as far as “to propose love” to her.
Oppelt said Wa Afrika was not involved in any such cellphone business. — Sapa
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