.:The Lowvelder Online - Die Laevelder Op Die Web:.

Written by Kierryn Goodwin - Friday, 16 July 2010 13:40

The premier is going to sue us for defamation. We were notified of his intent at the end of May. We could have just paid him the
R5 million he wanted within five days of his letter, but we opted to rather wait for the process to start.
At the time we didn’t print anything, because we were not going to start a "trial by media". This week his lawyer went on record with media houses that were not in the firing line and said they were going ahead with their actions.
What did we write that was defamatory? We wrote an article based on a press release from the ANC where they denied any raid being conducted at the premier’s house. We reported that both the police and the ANC had no knowledge of such a raid and even indicated this in a smaller headline. In our opinion, nothing defamatory.
But, in the light of the sudden urge in government to restrict the media with their reporting, it came as no surprise.
We have been dealing with this kind of action for years. As long as you publish the good, pretty picture everything remains
hunky-dory. The minute you dare to report that things in paradise aren’t so rosy any longer, one receives threats of legal action.
When are politicians, artists, actors, top businessmen and the elite going to learn that by willingly becoming a public figure, you open yourself to scrutiny. Government officials are accountable to the public for their actions because they are being paid by ratepayers. The media is a watchdog, we need to protect and look after the people’s interest. We don’t have carte blanche to invade privacy or to defame, but the media can investigate the comings and goings of especially government employees.
This week we faced another dilemma. We requested a copy of the tender document for the Fan Park. We are within our rights to ask for it and the council needs to make it available, seeing that taxpayers forked out the money to foot the bill for the disastrous attempt to provide entertainment.
Without even giving us a reason we were challenged to use the Public Access to Information Act (PAIA) by the council. This entails a lengthy process of applications and legal paperwork, one that most media rather shy away from.
Well, we are going to do just that. Even if we only get that tender in three months’ time, we will get to the bottom of the story.
Just like we have already gone the PAIA route to obtain the paperwork regarding the high occupancy vehicle lanes project funded by the United Nations. Time is on our side.