MEDIA24 ARTICLES:
A FORENSIC EVIDENCE-BASED ANALYSIS EXPOSING DELIBERATE MISINFORMATION, NEGLIGENT JOURNALISM & ETHICAL VIOLATIONS
Fabricated & False
Over the hundreds of files and the thousands of pages, there are certain common themes. One of which is the astonishing number and range of fabrications that all originate with Keith and Inge Broad. The clients who first appointed and instructed Mr de Swardt
Their brief was simple, take back the property by whatever means
I had only discovered after refurbishing the property that it had always been their plan to take it back. Keith and Inge Broad have crippling debts from years of living beyond their means. This is why 16 Ler=irmans Road was for sale before I rented it. It had always been their preference to sell. I only learned much later it was no just a preference but a necessity, as it was the only way to pay off those crippling debts.
They had it for sale at R24 million, but it would not sell. Because the price it was listed at was not its value but the price they needed to sell at.
When I leased the property, it was valued at R18 million
So, they had two choices, a) drop the price to its value if they wanted a sale, or b) if they needed a sale at the inflated value they would need to undertake a full refurbishment.
As the reason for the sale was because they needed the money there was no money to spend on refurbishing the property
Their cousin Gail Broad had seen my home in Camps Bay and was actively letting it to guests. She had fallen in love with what I had done to the property and was amazed a tenant would go to so much time, effort and expense on what was after all only a rented property. I explained that the rationale was a) it was my home an b) it was a very long term proposition. The outlay would be repaid over the life of the lese and would turn a profit.
She suggested to Keith and Inge Broad that they consider letting it to me, and explained what I had done to the property
Kieth and Inge broad asked for a meeting and so they came to Hie Road and we had a long meeting and I showed them around they were very impressed.
Keith agreed to the proposal or made the proposal, I cannot say. It was agreed I would be given a five year lease so I could transform the property and rent it out, as well as live in it.
The Reality
The five year lease was my one absolute requirement, so that I could justify spending vast sums and a huge amount of time renovating the property, as it was in an awful condition, untouched for twenty years it was old, dated, dark, drab and old fashioned.
I spent three months 18 hours a day with myself and several staff members and teams of contractors. As well as a fortune. The rend result was exceptional.
The lease started on 15 October 2021, and the works finished a little before Christmas.
The housekeeper of Mr Broad who had been discovered spying on us and the refurbishments sending Keith daily updates, inc texts and photos, had confirmed to Keith Broad that the works were completed. Something he knew as he had visited the proy and watched every story and post on Instagram
Two days after we finished the refurbished he executed his first illegal eviction. And from that point on did not stop trying to take the property back.
Eviction after eviction, each one only remedied by threats of high court action. In the December, in the January, since in February, in the march. And all the time we had been up to date with our rent and bills. In fact technically early as I paid the rent quarterly in advance.
What landlord tries to evict a tenant whose paying them a third of million rand a quarter, paying their rent and bills on time, transforms their property and never stopped improving it… unless there is a very significant reason… and that reason was that they never planned to allow me the five years of my lease. Not even a year of it. Once the refurbishment works were done they would find reasons to take it back.
As an interior designer form the UK they assumed I would be a pushover.
And so began the campaign. Masterminded and coordinated by WDS, by weaponizing the state and the media
His professional credentials and appearance as well as his PSIRA membership and connections in SAPS and the Hawks make him a very convincing private investigator. But he was hired for his willingness to go to extreme lengths including breaking the law and his connections in the police that allowed the criminality and provided impunity in doing so.
The campaign was ultimately successful and Keith and Inge Broad had the property on the market for R31 million within days of my arrest. Despite having no right to do so, no right of entry and an interdict from the high court barring them from going near the property
But as I was in Pollsmoor where they intended to keep me for many months that was now academic.
Media24’s False and Fabricated Articles vs the Facts and the Truth
MEDIA24
FALSE:
“Those who managed to track him down and confront him about what he was doing were told to ‘take me to court.’”
TRUE:
This is an outright fabrication. I lived in the very same villas we advertised, the very sme villas where the business and staff were based, the very same villas I leased from the landlords and the very same villas I had spent the entire previous year in, leaving Llandudno just once for two days.. No one needed to “track me down”, I ws likely the easiest person in the world to find. The idea that I told people to “take me to court” is pure fiction—no such confrontation ever happened. no such words ever left my mouth, no such words were ever typed or conveyed. This statement, like many others, was spoon-fed by de Swardt to create a false image of a conman evading accountability—yet Media24 made no attempt to verify it. Not a single guest, booking platform, or witness ever claimed this happened.
Media24’s False and Fabricated Articles vs the Facts and the Truth
MEDIA24
FALSE:
"He also allegedly carried out illegal construction work on the houses by breaking and building walls, changing kitchens, and laying floors without the permission of the owners.”
TRUE:
The entire proposal for the lease and renovation model came from Keith Broad. He not only consented—he orchestrated it. If the upgrades were unauthorised, why didn’t he object? Why no demand to undo them? Why no repairs? Why no receipts? Why, when he repossessed the property, did he leave every tile, appliance, layout, and finish exactly as I designed it? Why are his current marketing photos still showing my transformation? If the work was “illegal construction,” it’s strange that he’s now profiting from it.
01
NETWERK24
Julian Jensen
21 August 2022
"Brit stuck over cheating your rent, cheating there"
The truth matters—especially when the press abandons integrity and commits some of the most significant violations of the Press Code in a generation. These analysis uncover systemic fabrication, consistent falsehoods, unchecked bias, and deliberate omissions that created and shaped public perception, distorted reality and created the sole narrative.
These fact-based analyses that dismantle false narratives and reveal the press violations that demand accountability and action by the Press Council.
02
NETWERK24
Ane Van Zyl
23 August 2022
"Briton who allegedly defrauded people with accommodation, gets bail"
The truth matters—especially when the press abandons integrity and commits some of the most significant violations of the Press Code in a generation. These analysis uncover systemic fabrication, consistent falsehoods, unchecked bias, and deliberate omissions that created and shaped public perception, distorted reality and created the sole narrative.
These fact-based analyses that dismantle false narratives and reveal the press violations that demand accountability and action by the Press Council.
03
Rapport
Maygene De Wee
17 December 2022
"Brit arrested again after rental scam"
The truth matters—especially when the press abandons integrity and commits some of the most significant violations of the Press Code in a generation. These analysis uncover systemic fabrication, consistent falsehoods, unchecked bias, and deliberate omissions that created and shaped public perception, distorted reality and created the sole narrative.
These fact-based analyses that dismantle false narratives and reveal the press violations that demand accountability and action by the Press Council.
04
News24
Carin Smith
14 January 2023
"Second arrest for Cape Town luxury accommodation scammer suspected of pocketing millions"
The truth matters—especially when the press abandons integrity and commits some of the most significant violations of the Press Code in a generation. These analysis uncover systemic fabrication, consistent falsehoods, unchecked bias, and deliberate omissions that created and shaped public perception, distorted reality and created the sole narrative.
These fact-based analyses that dismantle false narratives and reveal the press violations that demand accountability and action by the Press Council.
05
IOL
Vernon Pillay
16 January 2023
"I almost got scammed by Darren Russell, the alleged Cape Town Airbnb Swindler"
The truth matters—especially when the press abandons integrity and commits some of the most significant violations of the Press Code in a generation. These analysis uncover systemic fabrication, consistent falsehoods, unchecked bias, and deliberate omissions that created and shaped public perception, distorted reality and created the sole narrative.
These fact-based analyses that dismantle false narratives and reveal the press violations that demand accountability and action by the Press Council.
06
NETWERK24
Ane Van Zyl
2 February 2023
"Case adjourned against Brit who rent and re-lets houses"
The truth matters—especially when the press abandons integrity and commits some of the most significant violations of the Press Code in a generation. These analysis uncover systemic fabrication, consistent falsehoods, unchecked bias, and deliberate omissions that created and shaped public perception, distorted reality and created the sole narrative.
These fact-based analyses that dismantle false narratives and reveal the press violations that demand accountability and action by the Press Council.
MEDIA24 FABRCIATED AND FALSE ARTICLES: PDF COPIES
01
NETWERK24
Julian Jensen
21 August 2022
"Brit stuck over cheating your rent, cheating there"
The truth matters—especially when the press abandons integrity and commits some of the most significant violations of the Press Code in a generation. These analysis uncover systemic fabrication, consistent falsehoods, unchecked bias, and deliberate omissions that created and shaped public perception, distorted reality and created the sole narrative.
These fact-based analyses that dismantle false narratives and reveal the press violations that demand accountability and action by the Press Council.
02
NETWERK24
Ane Van Zyl
23 August 2022
"Briton who allegedly defrauded people with accommodation, gets bail"
The truth matters—especially when the press abandons integrity and commits some of the most significant violations of the Press Code in a generation. These analysis uncover systemic fabrication, consistent falsehoods, unchecked bias, and deliberate omissions that created and shaped public perception, distorted reality and created the sole narrative.
These fact-based analyses that dismantle false narratives and reveal the press violations that demand accountability and action by the Press Council.
03
Rapport
Maygene de Wee
17 December 2022
"Brit arrested again after rental scam"
The truth matters—especially when the press abandons integrity and commits some of the most significant violations of the Press Code in a generation. These analysis uncover systemic fabrication, consistent falsehoods, unchecked bias, and deliberate omissions that created and shaped public perception, distorted reality and created the sole narrative.
These fact-based analyses that dismantle false narratives and reveal the press violations that demand accountability and action by the Press Council.
04
News24
Carin Smith
14 January 2023
"Second arrest for Cape Town luxury accommodation scammer suspected of pocketing millions"
The truth matters—especially when the press abandons integrity and commits some of the most significant violations of the Press Code in a generation. These analysis uncover systemic fabrication, consistent falsehoods, unchecked bias, and deliberate omissions that created and shaped public perception, distorted reality and created the sole narrative.
These fact-based analyses that dismantle false narratives and reveal the press violations that demand accountability and action by the Press Council.
05
IOL
Vernon Pillay
16 January 2023
"I almost got scammed by Darren Russell, the alleged Cape Town Airbnb Swindler"
The truth matters—especially when the press abandons integrity and commits some of the most significant violations of the Press Code in a generation. These analysis uncover systemic fabrication, consistent falsehoods, unchecked bias, and deliberate omissions that created and shaped public perception, distorted reality and created the sole narrative.
These fact-based analyses that dismantle false narratives and reveal the press violations that demand accountability and action by the Press Council.
06
NETWERK24
Ane Van Zyl
2 February 2023
"Case adjourned against Brit who rent and re-lets houses"
The truth matters—especially when the press abandons integrity and commits some of the most significant violations of the Press Code in a generation. These analysis uncover systemic fabrication, consistent falsehoods, unchecked bias, and deliberate omissions that created and shaped public perception, distorted reality and created the sole narrative.
These fact-based analyses that dismantle false narratives and reveal the press violations that demand accountability and action by the Press Council.
"When the press serves power rather than the people, it becomes an agent of propaganda." Noam Chomsky