MEDIA24’S CRIMINAL DEFAMATION: FALSE & AFBRICATED REPRESENTATIONS DISGUISED AS FACTUAL REPORTING
DESTROYING
MEDIA24 ARTICLES
71
FABRICATED
20
FALSE
22
SELECTIVE
13
ACCURATE
Media24 Abandoned Journalistic Principles & Ethical Standards
The media holds a profound responsibility to uphold truth, fairness, and balance, particularly when reporting on matters with the potential to devastate lives. Yet, in this case, Media24 abandoned these principles, allowing their platform—whether through negligence or intent—to be transformed into an instrument of harm.
The articles published under their banner were neither impartial nor rigorously investigated. Instead, they served as an unchecked outlet for a premeditated campaign driven by private interests with the intent to deceive, damage, and ultimately destroy both my professional standing and personal life.
Media24, which owns News24, Netwerk24, and Rapport, is the largest online news publisher in South Africa, reaching over a million daily readers across its various platforms. This wide readership grants Media24 significant influence in shaping public opinion.
This dominance places News24 and its sister sites in a critical position as some of the most trusted news sources in the country, meaning their reporting has extensive reach and impact on public perception and opinion. Further, as with any online content, it can and will be viewed internationally.
What readers or viewers will see are numerous articles across numerous respected titles: News24, Netwerk24, Rapport, Die Burger, Ground News, IOL. They will be unaware that many of these are one and the same or that the IOL articles were written and published on the assumption the Media24 articles were true.
Through strategic omissions, selective reporting, and the misuse of anonymity, these publications concealed the criminal actions of the Consortium while amplifying baseless allegations against me.
When legal evidence failed to substantiate their claims, Media24's coverage compensated, granting credibility to a fabricated narrative that could not withstand scrutiny in any court of law. In doing so, Media24 breached the most fundamental tenets of journalistic integrity, allowing themselves to be used as a means to “launder” lies into widely accepted “facts.”
THE PRESICE ALIGNMENT OF TIMING WHICH EXPOSES THE DEFAMATORY CAMPAIGN BY MEDIA24:
Media24's Extremely Selective Reporting: Beginning, Middle & End—The Missing Chapters
A legitimate ongoing investigative story follows a structured progression—it has a beginning, a middle, and an end, each forming essential chapters.
Media24, however, dictated where the story began, ignored crucial developments in the middle, and refused to report the final chapters when the allegations collapsed under scrutiny.
• The carefully chosen ‘beginning’: Reporting only when arrests or legal action could be framed negatively, omitting critical early context that disproved the claims.
• The manipulated ‘middle’: Selectively publishing only developments that reinforced a false narrative while refusing to acknowledge contradicting evidence.
• The erased ‘end’: Every court ruling, dismissal, exoneration, and factual revelation proving the allegations false was completely ignored.
By controlling the structure of the narrative, Media24 did not report the truth—they actively constructed a version of events designed to inflict maximum damage while shielding those responsible for misconduct.
CLICK IMAGE TO VIEW
THE PRECISE ALIGNMENT: MEDIA24'S FABRICATED ARTICLES & THE CONSORTIUMS CAMPAIGN
The unmistakable and precise alignment between the publication of the articles by Media24, and the campaign by the consortium.
As aligned as the specific timing of the articles was the start and finish of the series of articles. Starting when needed and ending when the goals had been achieved.
Devasating Consiquences
The consequences have been devastating. The articles cast a shadow over my reputation, distorted my relationships, and cost me financial security, liberty, and dignity. They have complicated my visa status, blocked paths to justice, and obstructed my attempts to rebuild.
The articles did not merely report on events; they catalysed and perpetuated a calculated agenda, advancing it at every turn, with relentless disregard for the ruinous toll it would take on my life and those around me.
This complaint serves not only to expose the specific violations of the Press Code but to underscore the moral, ethical, and legal accountability Media24 holds.
The effects of this campaign could only have been possible through the power of their platform, which became a vehicle for public manipulation rather than a beacon of truth. With this submission, I seek acknowledgment of these egregious wrongs, a commitment to corrective action, and a renewed commitment by the media to their indispensable role as guardians of truth, integrity, and public trust.
12.
The Press Council Part 2
Media24 evaded accountability while the Press Council has so far failed to act on documented ethical violations.
The Role of Wouter de Swardt and the Consortium
WdS played a pivotal role in orchestrating events that led to the publication of defamatory articles against me by News24. Appointed by Keith and Inge Broad to reclaim a property in which I had invested millions in refurbishment, WdS acted on behalf of a group I refer to as the “Consortium,” including Keith and Inge Broad, Paula Disberry, the Schafers, and Ragi Moonsamy.
These associations are thoroughly documented in court records and legal correspondence. WdS presented me as a criminal in narratives provided to News24, leveraging his longstanding relationship with the publication—and, one assumes, the trust in his ethical standing—to advance the Consortium’s agenda.
Instead of conducting an independent investigation, News24 adopted WdS’s one-sided narrative, publishing it wholesale, and constantly building on the narrative with increasingly extreme statements—a narrative deliberately constructed to discredit me and manipulate public perception.
This alliance with WdS, likely stemming from misplaced trust by senior editorial management, created a situation where crucial evidence was disregarded.
This includes outcomes of various legal matters, revelations during hearings, and key developments, such as the investigating officer’s perjury and contempt of court.
Rather than adjust course or introduce the balance and counter-opinions entirely ignored, Media24 chose to strengthen the narrative further, pushing it to an even more extreme level.
The outcomes of these cases, along with numerous other factors, clearly show that the attempts, allegations, charges, and manoeuvres orchestrated by WdS had no basis in fact and were solely motivated by his mandate with the owners to execute substantial injustices.
Media24’s False and Fabricated Articles vs the Facts and the Truth
MEDIA24
FALSE:
"No matter what we tried to get him out legally, the odds seemed always to be stacked in his favour."
TRUE:
This is gaslighting at its finest. They didn’t just fail in court—they also carried out multiple illegal evictions, used thugs to take back the property, and hired WdS to enforce their lies. The odds weren’t stacked—they were lawless.
HIGH COURT JUDGMENT
High Court Ruling: Sokanyile v Broad
Spoliation Proceedings – Keith Broad and Wouter de Swardt Illegal Evictions & Assaults
This landmark High Court judgment reaffirmed tenant’s property rights and exposed the unlawful actions of Keith Broad and Wouter de Swardt.
Official Court Document and Exteneivse Online Reporting In August 2022 Re the 22 and 24 July Illegal Evictions
MEDIA24 FABRICATED & FALSE ARTICLES
Offences Ignored Across Three Rounds of Media24 Coverage
A High Court Ruling That Exposed the Criminal Eviction—Ignored by Every Media24 Article
On 4 August 2022—before a single article was published—the High Court issued a damning judgment: confirming the criminality of the illegal eviction, granting both an eviction order against Keith Brad, Wouter de Swardt and his unnamed thugs, and an interdict against Keith Broad and Wouter de Swardt, as well as awarding punitive costs that reflected the judge’s clear condemnation of their conduct.
The ruling was public. It was widely reported. It appeared on the first page of any search for the names involved. And yet, Media24 ignored it completely—publishing a version of events that ran directly contrary to the court’s findings.
They didn’t miss the truth. They chose to ignore and erase it — because propaganda from a discredited source served their narrative better than the ruling of a High Court judge. Even when handed he evidence on a plate, they rejected the approach out of hand.
HIGH COURT JUDGMENT
Court’s message in Llandudno case: Don’t take matters into your own hands
Spoliation Proceedings – Keith Broad and Wouter de Swardt Illegal Evictions & Assaults
- A Llandudno property owner used private security to evict his tenant and employees ahead of court eviction proceedings, apparently because he was frustrated with delays in the legal process.
- The tenant’s employees were forcefully removed by a group of “burly men” who then changed the locks.
- The High Court granted an interdict restraining the landlord from interfering with the tenants, pending the outcome of his eviction application.
Ground Up Article
PERJURY & OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE
A Forensic Timeline of Strategic Legal Abuse by Keith Broad, Inge Broad & Wouter de Swardt
This visual document captures the disturbing pattern through which Keith Broad weaponized both the civil and criminal justice systems — toggling between illegal evictions, malicious prosecutions, and civil proceedings based on tactical convenience rather than legal merit.
The table presents month-by-month evidence of his calculated behaviour: when one route failed, another was immediately attempted, whether through fabricated dockets, unlawful arrests, or procedural manipulation.
It outlines how I was deliberately removed from the process — denied access to devices, documents, and legal counsel — while KB continued to distort the narrative unchecked.
The sequence exposes the exploitation of protection orders, sabotage of bail proceedings, and the extraordinary steps taken to get matters heard in my absence. Ultimately, it shows how criminality was cloaked in legal formality and legitimized by procedural silence.
This timeline is not just about what was done to me — it is a broader warning of how badly the line between law and lawlessness can blur when power goes unchecked. Every entry is backed by records, dates, and court filings, serving as proof that justice did not fail passively. It was actively repurposed.
MEDIA24 FABRICATED & FALSE ARTICLES
Allegations Published Verbatim—Growing Truth Systematically Ignored
The article featured here wasn’t based on truth—it was based entirely on the unverified claims of Wouter de Swardt and his clients, Keith and Inge Broad. At the time of publication, key information was already publicly available: High Court rulings, published judgments, documented improvements to the properties during my tenure, landlord adverts showing massive rental increases after my eviction, and flawless guest reviews across Booking.com and Airbnb.
None of it was mentioned. Instead, Media24 reproduced the accusations verbatim, without seeking comment, without fact-checking, and without acknowledging the falsification of charges that had already collapsed in court.
When I later provided detailed evidence and attempted engagement—they rejected it outright.
The result? A published narrative with no relation to reality, but an identical overlap with the defamatory claims of the consortium. What was available, accessible, and legally verified was ignored. What served a private agenda was amplified.
The Substantial Evidence That Exposes The Lies
The evidence against these claims is substantial. I possess hundreds of folders and thousands of files of documentation that are conclusive on their own. Taken together with the consistent failure to produce any evidence to support these allegations whenever they were tested, the reality becomes clear.
And if further confirmation were needed, the investigations that have followed my formal complaints provide vindication from independent bodies whose role is to investigate corruption and criminality.
(1) The Private Security Industry Regulatory Authority (PSIRA) investigation uncovered significant breaches by WdS, alongside findings from multiple investigations revealing serious misconduct by WdS and SAPS officers who collaborated with him,
(2) the disciplinary proceedings that followed,
(3) the criminal charges now being laid by PSIRA.
(4) The SAPS Inspectorate’s disciplinary process against WdS’s partner in crime, Serg Stevens,
(5) Colonel McLean’s investigation into the criminality, which has closely implicated Stevens, who now faces likely criminal charges, underscoring the extent of collusion involved.
(6) the Western Cape Police Ombudsman’s investigation, and
(7) the Western Cape Anti-Corruption Unit investigation into SAPS officers closely associated with WdS, highlighting severe corruption and abuse of authority. These findings expose a network of corruption and criminality tied to the Consortium and its tactics—facts that News24 failed to acknowledge or investigate.
(8) The inevitable lawsuits and legal actions against those involved will further reveal the gravity of the conduct, underscoring the severe consequences of Media24’s decision to align with WdS’s narrative.
MEDIA24'S SELECTIVE REPORTING
Media24’s Pattern of Selective Coverage. Every False Allegation Was Published — Every Vindication Was Buried
The table reveals the undeniable pattern of selective reporting—Media24 widely published arrests, detentions, and fabricated charges, yet not a single outcome was reported when courts threw out the cases.
Every charge listed was dismissed, withdrawn, or deemed unlawful, yet the media never followed up with the truth.
The deliberate omission ensured continued reputational harm, allowing false narratives to persist unchallenged.
Even when bail was granted and key charges collapsed, Media24 maintained complete silence—failing to correct their misleading coverage or acknowledge exonerations.
A system designed to deceive: False accusations were amplified while vindications were erased, ensuring justice remained hidden from public view.
📰 What the Image Shows:
- Consistent omissions of case outcomes—only accusations made headlines, while acquittals and withdrawn charges were ignored.
- Deliberate narrative control—fabricated claims amplified, factual corrections withheld.
- A timeline that exposes the pattern—events selectively covered to maintain a false perception.
🚨 Implications: - Public deception—truth distorted by media silence where exonerations should have been reported.
- Blocked legal accountability—the damage of defamation persists without corrections, retractions, apology or transparency.
The Depth Of The Complicity & The Absolute Lack Of Interest In Balance
When I brought all this to Media24’s attention, I expected they would be horrified to discover they had effectively aligned with criminals and inadvertently provided this criminal campaign with its most effective weapon. I assumed they would be motivated to investigate and publish the truth. I could not have been more wrong.
Instead, they have kept the articles online—articles that reported the matters only when they could be most damaging to me, never when the same matters resulted in my vindication—ensuring that in the minds of readers, I am guilty of a whole host of crimes. Through these actions, Media24 not only misled its audience but also violated fundamental principles of the Press Code by aligning with an orchestrated campaign driven by individuals under investigation for criminal behaviour. Their failure to investigate or question WdS’s motives, coupled with reliance on biased sources, resulted in a deeply flawed narrative that has severely harmed my reputation.
THE INDISPUTABLE PATTERN WHICH EXPOSES THE REAL & TRUE PURPOSE OF THE DEFAMATORY CAMPAIGN BY MEDIA24:
Media24’s Defamation Campaign: A Coordinated Effort to Control the Narrative
This table exposes an indisputable pattern—a deliberate and sustained defamation campaign by Media24 across multiple major South African media titles.
The repetition and cross-publication of defamatory articles reinforce that this was not isolated reporting but a strategically executed campaign designed to spread and maintain a false narrative. Each article was published across multiple outlets, ensuring that misinformation reached the widest possible audience.
Despite detailed, evidence-based rebuttals demonstrating the articles were false, Media24:
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Refused to retract, correct, or acknowledge their errors.
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Dismissed legitimate challenges with lies and deflection.
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Never removed the articles, leaving the damage as severe today as when first published—or worse, as time amplifies the harm.
The timing of publication further proves deliberate orchestration. Articles were released only when the consortium's campaign was in full force—aligning directly with strategic legal maneuvers designed to obstruct justice. When events turned in favor of the truth, Media24 ceased coverage entirely.
Through this selective, one-sided reporting, Media24 chose their beginning, manipulated the middle, and erased the end, ensuring that the only narrative that remained was the one that served their agenda.
The Impossibility Of Coincidence
Her reference to "heartbreaking" is especially hypocritical, profoundly disingenuous, and a complete inversion of the truth:
Reality: The Broads were thrilled with the transformation of the property throughout the renovation process, frequently expressing their appreciation. As soon as the refurbishment was completed, they began attempting to reclaim the property to profit from its increased value without honouring the remainder of the lease.
The Renovations: The extensive improvements included a complete overhaul—professional interior design, landscaping, new kitchens, full redecoration, new flooring, and even the construction of an amphitheatre and outdoor terrace. These changes increased the property’s market value by an estimated R13 million, all funded out of my own pocket.
Post-Tenancy Misrepresentation: After my illegal eviction, the property was listed for sale using the very features I had added as selling points. If the property had truly been in the poor condition they alleged, or if I had undertaken unauthorized work, why were the improvements neither reversed nor removed but instead leveraged to command a higher selling price?
Convenient Omissions: This gross misrepresentation of the property's condition reveals the duplicity in the Broads' narrative, designed to elicit sympathy and divert attention from their illegal actions. While their comments sought to evoke emotional and financial harm, they ignored their own substantial financial gain from the property's increased value.
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THE PRECISE ALIGNMENT: MEDIA24'S FABRICATED ARTICLES & THE CONSORTIUMS CAMPAIGN
The unmistakable and precise alignment between the publication of the articles by Media24, and the campaign by the consortium.
As aligned as the specific timing of the articles was the start and finish of the series of articles. Starting when needed and ending when the goals had been achieved.
Explaining The Complaint
The articles in question—News24, Netwerk24, Rapport, Die Burger, Ground Up, and IOL—represent severe breaches of journalistic ethics under the South African Press Code.
The six main articles alone contain over 100 false or fabricated statements, compounded across additional articles, notably repeated in print in Rapport, creating a harmful pattern of misinformation that transcends ordinary journalistic failure.
Media24’s refusal to verify basic facts resulted in a damaging defamation campaign, transforming deliberate misrepresentations into a widely accepted narrative.
Media24’s instrumental role in perpetuating this defamatory narrative lent unwarranted legitimacy to a concocted storyline that destroyed my reputation, financial security, and personal life, culminating in months of unjust incarceration at Pollsmoor Prison. Given the gravity and extent of these breaches, I request the Press Council impose the severest Tier 3 sanction available.
These actions strike at the core of ethical journalism and demand a decisive response. Media24’s reporting has been especially harmful, portraying me as a ‘slippery, deceitful conman’ scamming unsuspecting tourists of millions of Rand by creating a complex and industrial-scale fraudulent enterprise.
This stigmatizing narrative shattered my credibility across every conceivable relationship—professional, personal, and social. Now, I am constantly met with scepticism, suspicion, and distrust. I have addressed each false or fabricated statement in the document link: [Annexure. Analysis of the false/fabricated statements].
Not only was the only source for the initial allegations and articles Mr Wouter de Swardt and his clients, which in themselves ran contrary to the available body of evidence, the additional and more extreme allegations that followed in the second round of articles was also from that same singular source, had no conceivable relationship to the truth and ran contrary to the by then even more significant body of evidence.
Media24’s False and Fabricated Articles vs the Facts and the Truth
MEDIA24
FALSE:
"We did it through a reputable agent and paid them for a background check."
TRUE:
They invoke the agent to bolster credibility, yet the journalist never contacted him. Had they done so, they’d have uncovered proof that the Broads were lying about arrears and subletting. This omission is a textbook press failure.
THE IMPOSIBILITY OF COINCIDENCE
Direct Correlation: Arrests Charges, Media24, Civil Court Dates, Illegal & The Three Key Civil Court Dates
The absolute and undeniable precise alignment between the needs and strategy of the landlords and the key events and dates of the campaign
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Today's Digital Age: The Harm Magnified And Increasing
In today's digital age, the inevitability of being Googled is a reality everyone encounters; online searches have become a standard practice. It’s almost given that people will Google someone before starting a relationship, attending a business meeting, conducting an interview, or establishing any new association.
Unfortunately, any search under my name pulls up numerous articles, from a number of apparently different well-respected titles News24, Rapport, Netwerk24, IOL, and Ground Up, each presenting the same defamatory narrative. Readers will be unaware that News24, Netwerk24, and Rapport are all part of the same Media24 group, or that the IOL article is based solely on the presumption that the Media24 articles are factual.
They will encounter multiple respected media titles uniformly portraying a definitive, extreme, and damaging image, not realizing this narrative originates from a single biased source with a known agenda.
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These readers won’t know of the true role of Mr Wouter de Swardt, who orchestrated much of this coverage) or the underlying conflict with Keith Broad, who instructed WdS. They won’t understand that the "Inge" who was quoted extensively—receiving two dozen quotes and around 500 words in the articles—is Inge Broad, Keith Broad's wife.
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Or that she is the same person responsible for the malicious prosecution that unjustly imprisoned me for crimes she knew I didn’t commit. Nor will the readers know that the Broads orchestrated the December arrests. While WdS, misrepresented as a hero figure, was the same individual who illegally forced his way into the property with eight thugs, beat up and ejected the occupants, and squatted.
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Furthermore, they won’t know that the arrest at Fisherman’s served as a distraction for WdS to execute an illegal, unofficial operation to reclaim Inge and Keith's property.
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They won’t know of the congratulatory phone call made by WdS to Inge Broad as he left the Leirmans property heading back to the Fisherman’s property, having arrested, handcuffed and threatened the housekeeper with being shot, then confiscating the property’s keys from him, telling Inge Broad during that call, “We have got him; he won’t be coming back this time.”
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Readers will also be unaware that the “damage” cited by Inge was actually the transformation of the property itself, which resulted in a R13,000,000 increase in its value.
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They will not realize that the entire proposal for this venture originated with Inge and Keith Broad, who sought to deceive me into refurbishing their properties at my expense to later sell and clear their debts.
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THE IMPOSIBILITY OF COINCIDENCE
Direct Correlation: Arrests Charges, Media24, Civil Court Dates, Illegal & The Three Key Civil Court Dates
The absolute and undeniable precise alignment between the needs and strategy of the landlords and the key events and dates of the campaign
What Media24 Must Have Known, And What Their Readers Won't Know
All of this is covered in he “Evidence” section, including a number of links to related evidence, as well as the index itself [Index Of Folders And Files Created For The Press Council]
While the readers won’t know any of this, Media24 was fully aware. Their very first article indicates that the publication knew who Keith Broad was, understood that Inge was his wife, and was cognizant of the ongoing conflict and legal battles.
They knew he had instructed WdS to reclaim the property, and also knew that WdS had attempted to do so with several “strong men.” This knowledge alone constitutes a clear awareness of what was an aggressive and highly illegal act, regardless of any misrepresentation of the motives behind it. Jensen reported on July 21, “When owner Keith Broad asked private investigator WdS of Fox Forensics to get rid of the tenants, the tide began to turn against Russell.” WdS himself stated he and "some strong men" had "gone to empty" Broad's house. Ane Van Zyl noted on August 23, "WdS of Fox Forensics, who investigated Russell at the behest of a homeowner..."
It is also evident from the articles that Media24 was acutely aware of the Prevention of Illegal Eviction Act (PIE) and the associated landlord/tenant laws, rights, and obligations having quoted them and their purpose in the articles. In what world could it be considered legal or justifiable to hire a private investigator to reclaim a property?
PIE provides a straightforward process for recovering a property if a tenant has breached the terms of the lease. This is not only an effective means of recovery; it is the only lawful means of recovery. The act of hiring a PI to achieve this aim should have alerted Media24 to a different and more sinister explanation. Furthermore, the mere act of hiring a PI who then descends upon a house with eight strong men to remove the tenant cannot have been anything other than highly illegal. Yet, Media24 even managed to spin that criminal act to portray Mr. Broad as the victim and me as the villain [Judgement And Interdict]
CALCULATED STRATEGY
Every major event in this campaign occurred entirely within two critical timeframes, marked on the chart by the two blue lines.
The sequence of SAPS actions (arrests, detentions), court filings, and media attacks moved in exact alignment with the attempts to unlawfully seize properties under lease agreements. When the final property was forcefully taken back, all activity - 'legal', criminal, and media - immediately ceased.
Proving the campaign was not about justice, but a calculated strategy to unlawfully dispossess tenants under the guise of procedural legitimacy.
Media24’s Role in Amplifying a Defamatory Narrative:
Without Media24’s involvement, the fabricated accusations by WdS, Keith Broad, and Inge Broad would have been confined to private litigation, where their malicious intentions and falsehoods could have been exposed under legal scrutiny. Instead, by broadcasting these unverified allegations across a vast media network, Media24 elevated them to perceived “facts” in the public sphere, sidestepping the legal checks and balances of a courtroom.
Their decision to publish without verification falsely portrayed me as a criminal, disregarding substantial evidence that would have countered this narrative. It is revealing that the man who profited by portraying me as a scammer is himself exposed as a “scammer,” “criminal,” and “con artist” according to online reviews of WdS etc Online reviews of WdS. https://www.netpages.co.za/Durbanville/Fox+Forensics-787636.html .
Escalation of the False Narrative:
As de Swardt’s campaign escalated and the methods and criminality became more extreme, so did Media24’s portrayal of me, ignoring mounting evidence that directly refuted their claims. Media24 did not merely fail in their journalistic duties; they deepened the misrepresentation, intensifying accusations while disregarding court rulings and exculpatory information.
Standard protocol demands engagement with all parties, yet Media24 did not contact me before or after publication of any of the ten instances they published articles about me. Nor did they correct the narrative as new evidence emerged.
When I approached them, their refusal to engage, despite my providing a detailed breakdown of the methods, motives, relationships, criminality, corruption, and harm involved, including considerable documents and evidence, confirmed their calculated preservation of a false storyline over a commitment to truth.
THE IMPOSIBILITY OF COINCIDENCE
Direct Correlation: Arrests Charges, Media24, Civil Court Dates, Illegal & The Three Key Civil Court Dates
The absolute and undeniable precise alignment between the needs and strategy of the landlords and the key events and dates of the campaign
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WEOPONISATION OF THE MEDIA - DEFMATION AS A STRATEGY
Fabrication of Facts:
The articles published by News24, Netwerk24, and Rapport contained fabricated information, particularly regarding allegations of fraud, property damage, and other illegal activities..
These articles presented falsehoods as facts, without any independent verification or genuine effort to investigate alternative perspectives, creating a highly misleading narrative.
Absence of Due Diligence:
There was no apparent fact-checking or investigation into the claims made by Mr. de Swardt, Keith Broad, and their associates. The articles failed to reflect the most basic standards of journalistic rigor..
The journalists neglected easily accessible evidence, such as the increase in property values or public records that would have contradicted the false allegations. This was a glaring omission that suggests a lack of basic research or an intentional disregard for the truth.
Selective Reporting:
The articles consistently reported only negative and damaging information, while omitting crucial positive developments, such as when charges were dropped or legal victories were won in court..
Key court proceedings, particularly moments where the magistrate criticized the handling of the case, were ignored. These omissions led to a biased portrayal that significantly damaged my reputation.
Manipulation by a Small Group:
The narratives presented in the articles were not independently sourced but orchestrated by a small group of individuals, namely Mr. de Swardt, Keith Broad, and Inge Broad, all of whom had a vested interest in harming my reputation..
These individuals were cited repeatedly across multiple articles, giving the false impression of independent sources corroborating one another when, in fact, it was a coordinated and malicious effort..
Failure to Present Both Sides:
There was a complete lack of balance in the reporting. Despite being available for comment on numerous occasions, my side of the story was never sought or presented..
The articles exclusively advanced the claims of my opponents without question or scrutiny, leading to a distorted narrative.
Repetition of Falsehoods Across Platforms:
The fabricated narrative from the original articles was repeated across multiple Media24 platforms (News24, Netwerk24, Rapport), further entrenching the falsehoods in the public mind..
This repetition, across both Afrikaans and English outlets, gave the false allegations undue credibility, making the impact of the misinformation even more damaging..
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EVIDENCE
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GRAPHICAL EVIDENCE: PRECISE INEXPLICABLE ALIGNMENT
Coordinated Attacks and Precise Alignment of Civil, Criminal, Illegal Evictions, Docket Activity and Media24's Fabricated Articles
This chart exposes the strategic alignment between civil litigation, criminal charges, illegal evictions, and the timed release of Media24 articles. Every escalation in court was mirrored by a media smear and a new unlawful act—from fabricated arrears claims to manufactured police action.
The overlap is not coincidental. It reveals a deliberate, sustained campaign to discredit, evict, and criminalise me while silencing the evidence of what I uncovered.
Failure to Update or Correct Information:
Media24 did not update or correct the articles when new information emerged, such as the withdrawal of charges or my legal victories. No follow-up was conducted to present the truth after the initial falsehoods were disproven..
The refusal to amend the original reports, despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary, has allowed these damaging falsehoods to remain in the public domain, perpetuating the harm to my reputation.
Suspicious Timing of Articles:
The articles were strategically published at times when I was incarcerated or otherwise unable to defend myself or respond, suggesting a deliberate effort to maximise their impact..
Positive developments in my case, such as legal victories and withdrawals of charges, were consistently ignored, creating a one-sided narrative designed to damage my reputation.
Inappropriate Use of Anonymous Sources:
In one instance, a source’s identity was withheld—such as omitting Inge Broad’s surname—allowing her to be portrayed as a neutral, independent party despite her central role in the campaign against me..
This lack of transparency allowed the same individuals to manipulate the narrative while hiding behind anonymity, contributing to the distortion of facts.
Exploitation of the Legal Process for Media Gain:
The articles were used to support a broader campaign of malicious prosecutions, illegal arrests, and civil victories by those orchestrating this attack on me..
Media24’s publications played a critical role in giving false credibility to the legal actions taken against me, weaponizing their platform for the benefit of those behind this scheme..
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THE IMPOSIBILITY OF COINCIDENCE
Direct Correlation: Arrests, Charges, Media24 & Consortium Activity
The absolute and undeniable precise alignment between the needs and strategy of the landlords and the key events and dates of the campaign. The start and end of the series of articles aligning precisely wit the star and finish of the Wouter de Swardt's role in the campaign and likewise the start and finish of the property grabs.
Why Media24's Approach Appears Sinister Rather than Accidental
Pattern of Consistent Falsehoods
Across multiple platforms, Media24 repeatedly promoted the same false narrative, without any deviation or attempt to investigate the truth. This suggests a deliberate pattern of misconduct, not a series of isolated mistakes.
The Same Sources Across Articles
The reliance on a small group of individuals (the Broads and Mr. de Swardt) across all articles points to a coordinated effort to shape public opinion, rather than accidental errors in reporting.
Failure to Verify Easily Accessible Facts
Basic facts, such as the nature of the charges against me or the condition of the properties, were not verified, despite the information being readily available in public records. This indicates a wilful disregard for the truth.
Bias in Reporting Only Negative Developments
The articles exclusively reported negative developments, while ignoring any positive ones. This points to an agenda to paint me in a negative light, rather than an objective attempt to report the full story.
Timing of Publications
The suspicious timing of the articles—released when I was unable to defend myself—suggests a coordinated effort to inflict maximum damage. This is not accidental but rather a deliberate choice to suppress facts that could have cleared my name.
Refusal to Engage When Approached for Clarification
When I reached out to correct the false narrative, Media24 refused to engage or investigate further, even when presented with evidence. This refusal shows a lack of interest in uncovering the truth and suggests complicity in advancing the false narrative.
Perpetuation of Lies Despite Court Rulings
Even after key legal rulings cleared my name, the false narrative continued to be published and referenced, demonstrating a refusal to acknowledge or report the truth.
Collusion Between Media24 and the Orchestrators
The close relationship between Media24 and the individuals behind this campaign raises serious concerns about whether the media was complicit in advancing their agenda, rather than simply misled.
Total Lack of Balance or Accountability
Media24’s refusal to publish corrections, offer retractions, or include my side of the story shows that their agenda was never about balanced journalism but about advancing a predetermined narrative.
The Campaign Against Me
Since entering into a lease agreement with the Broads, I invested millions of rand in transforming their property into a luxury residence, which substantially increased its value. However, it became evident that the Broads had no intention of honoring their end of the agreement. Instead, their aim was to reclaim the property after I had completed the renovations, using any means necessary, including illegal methods, false allegations, and strategic legal battles.
To bolster their position and destroy my credibility, they enlisted the help of Wouter de Swardt, a private investigator known for his underhanded tactics. Together, they orchestrated a public campaign against me, in which Media24 became an unwitting—yet central—ally.
This campaign involved false arrests, fabricated charges, and the manipulation of state resources, including the South African Police Service (SAPS), to further their unlawful objectives. Media24’s involvement was critical to this campaign’s success. By publishing articles that reinforced the false narrative of a “rental scam,” Media24 provided the Broads and their associates with legitimacy, which they used to press their case in both civil and criminal courts.
Media24’s False and Fabricated Articles vs the Facts and the Truth
MEDIA24
FALSE:
"Inge (surname withheld) told News24 it was heartbreaking and frustrating to see what was done to her and her husband's luxury property."
TRUE:
They called it heartbreaking. But what’s truly heartbreaking is being stripped of your freedom, denied bail, and blocked from accessing your own home by the very people who stole it.
Heartbreaking is living in fear your cancer will kill you before you see your mother again.
Heartbreaking is clawing through two years of lies, theft, and silence—only to see the criminals walk free, posing for media interviews, while the real victim is left fighting for justice with nothing but mouldy clothes and a debt to his mother.
That’s not their heartbreak. That’s mine.
CHARTS & : MEDIA24 CRIMINAL DEFAMATION
This section presents a curated series of visual data—some charts speak directly to Media24’s false coverage and coordinated timing, while others spotlight broader patterns of criminal conduct, legal outcomes, and verifiable evidence the media chose to ignore.
Each display highlights a different facet of the defamation campaign: from press code violations to systematic omission of court outcomes, and the precise alignment between arrests, coverage, and property grabs.
For the full archive of charts, tables, and corroborated material, visit the dedicated evidence section (link directly below):
MEDIA24 CRIMINAL DEFMATION
Fabricated Charges, False Headlines & Media Blackouts on the Truth
Every Negative Headline Was Published—Every Exoneration Was Buried
Media24 did not simply misreport events—they actively fabricated allegations, presenting false claims as undisputed fact while strategically withholding key case outcomes.
The pattern was clear: whenever news could be framed negatively, it was heavily publicized. Yet, when rulings disproved these narratives, Media24 failed to report the truth—allowing public perception to remain skewed in favor of deception.
Arrests were widely covered, but not a single exoneration, dismissal, or overturned ruling was ever published. Fabricated charges were presented as legitimate, without verification or legal basis, cementing an intentionally misleading narrative. When cases collapsed under scrutiny and the evidence disproved the accusations, the media remained silent.
This deliberate omission of the truth ensured sustained reputational damage, legal obstruction, and a false narrative that served the interests of those orchestrating the misconduct. There were no corrections, no retractions, no transparency—only a carefully curated distortion of reality.
10000%. its been awful having no money and I am very conscious your financial position s extremely strained. Obvs Vince left you in very bad way financially when he had the income in those last few months to right all his wrongs and repay some of the small fortune you spent on him, plus the expected expenses with your car, and then having to carry the household, obvs when I get paid I will repay every cent you have out-laid. Obvs not just things like the vuse but all the food shopping, take aways, treats, dog food, household expenses etc. And I am very happy to work it all out using the bank statements as suggested as that way it’ll capture everything rather than rely on just receipts which may have since been lost and when I have money coming in of course I will be more than happy to pay for the majority of stuff and hopefully you’ll be able to start a job where they appreciate you and pay you what you’re worth,
PRESS COUNCIL FAILINGS
Table Of Communications With The Press Council Highlighting Their Abject Failures
The One Sided Communication And The Press Council's Deflection & Excuses
A table tracking the extensive communications with the Press Council, initiated by me, documenting ongoing efforts to hold Media24 accountable for severe ethical breaches.
Each entry reflects an attempt to trigger oversight, demand accountability, and prompt formal review of Media24's conduct, yet the Council's lack of enforcement allowed unchecked journalistic misconduct to persist.
300+ CRIMINAL OFFENCES
Criminal Offences Committed Against Darren Russell by SAPS Officers and Consortium Members (2022-2023)
This evidence table documents more than 300 distinct criminal actions. Each entry references a specific offence, including unlawful arrest, obstruction of justice, malicious prosecution, evidence tampering, media manipulation, and conspiracy to defeat the ends of justice.
This is not an exhaustive list — but the detail and scale are enough to establish the pattern of systemic, organised criminal conduct. All listed actions are either criminal under South African law or constitute direct abuse of process, and many have been repeated across multiple fabricated charges.
MEDIA24 FABRICATED & FALSE ARTICLES
Offences Ignored Across Three Rounds of Media24 Coverage
Before the first article hit print, the consortium and their SAPS allies had already committed serious criminal acts—including illegal arrests, fabricated dockets, property seizures, and evidence suppression. Instead of investigating, Media24 opened Round 1 (August 2022) by echoing their allegations verbatim.
As the misconduct escalated, so did the coverage. Round 2 (late 2022) arrived as fresh violations were underway—more detentions, more coordinated takedowns. Again, Media24 remained silent on the crimes and amplified the narrative.
By Round 3 (early 2023), the record of abuse was irrefutable—yet the reporting stayed loyal to the same sources, ignoring every legal outcome and documented offence.
Each article round was timed for impact. Each one ignored the context. Each one protected the perpetrators.
STATISTICAL IMPOSSIBILITY OF COINCIDENCE
Impossible Convergence of Criminal Charges, Civil Hearings, & Media24 Lies
Every major event in this campaign—from civil court case hearings, illegal arrests, trumped up charges, malicious prosecutions, unlawful detentions, Media24’s defamatory coverage, occurred entirely within two critical time points, marked on the chart by the two blue lines:
The start and end of Wouter de Swardt’s involvement in the coordinated effort to take back the properties which in itself coincided with the first and last successful such property grab.
The sequence of SAPS actions (arrests, detentions), court filings, and media attacks moved in exact alignment with the attempts to unlawfully seize properties.
The sequence of SAPS actions (arrests, detentions), court filings, and media attacks moved in exact alignment with the attempts to unlawfully seize properties.
When the final property was forcefully taken back, all activity - ‘legal,’ criminal, and media- immediately ceased. activities that should have had no relationships to the landlords own personal and private goals – supposed criminal investigations, supposed investigative reporting, supposed criminal trials or proceedings through the criminal justice system – all ceased.
Proving the campaign was not about justice, but a calculated strategy to unlawfully dispossess tenants under the guise of procedural legitimacy.
MEDIA24 FABRICATED & FALSE ARTICLES
A Timeline of Offences That Should Have Stopped the Story Cold
Before a single article was published, the landlords and their SAPS proxies had already committed dozens of criminal acts—from unlawful arrests and fabricated charges to obstruction of justice and coordinated evictions. These weren’t isolated incidents. They were systematic, repeated, and escalating.
Yet Media24 ignored all of it. They published three waves of articles—August 2022, December 2022, and early 2023—each time amplifying the accusers’ narrative while omitting the criminal conduct that preceded it. The result? A media campaign that didn’t just mislead—it shielded the perpetrators.
OUTCOMES AS EVIDENCE
Outcomes as Evidence: The Collapse of False Allegations Under Legal Scrutiny
This table presents indisputable proof that every charge, detention, and legal proceeding was built on fabricated claims—and every attempt to uphold these fabrications ultimately failed in court.
📌 Case Withdrawals & Dismissals:
Every accusation collapsed when examined under judicial scrutiny. Charges were withdrawn, cases were dismissed, and legal motions against misconduct were upheld—conclusively disproving the fraudulent claims used to justify arrests and asset seizures.
📌 Judicial Findings:
Courts recognized that procedural abuses and fabricated evidence formed the basis of multiple wrongful detentions. Legal outcomes repeatedly vindicated the accused, reinforcing the scale of corruption that led to these unlawful actions.
📌 Systemic Abuse Confirmed:
The documented failures of these cases serve as direct evidence of state-enabled misconduct. The justice system was manipulated to create legal threats, but at every stage where facts were weighed against accusations, the truth prevailed.
📌 No Accountability Despite Legal Failures:
Despite repeated legal vindications, those responsible for the false charges faced no consequences, ensuring the cycle of abuse continued unchecked. The justice system was used as a weapon—but its own rulings exposed the deception behind the fabricated legal claims.
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MEDIA24 FABRICATED & FALSE ARTICLES
They Reported the Charges—Then Buried the Outcomes
Three Rounds of Coverage, Zero Corrections, Endless Distortion
Before the first article, key charges had already collapsed. Between the first and second, more were thrown out. Between the second and third, entire cases disintegrated in court. And since then, every remaining allegation has failed under scrutiny.
Yet Media24 never corrected a single false claim. They published arrests and charges as fact, ignored the proceedings that followed, and refused to report on the outcomes—even when those outcomes directly contradicted their own headlines.
This wasn’t journalism. It was narrative control by omission, repeated across three coordinated waves of coverage. The truth wasn’t hidden. It was deliberately excluded.
CONSORTIUM'S MOTIVE
Landlord Adverts Prove Massive Rental Increases After My Transformations
Irrefutable Evidence: Same Properties, Same Owners — Now Worth 300% TO 1,600% More
These are the landlords’ own property adverts — published after my arrest and eviction — showing rental prices hundreds of percent higher than when I first leased the same units.
The dramatic increases are a direct result of the transformations I carried out during my tenancy, investing my own time and money.
These increases were not due to market conditions or landlord improvements, but to my renovations alone. This strip forms irrefutable evidence of the financial value I added — and exposes the true motive behind the coordinated arrests and illegal evictions: to reclaim my upgraded properties and relet them at vastly increased rents.
MEDIA24 FABRICATED & FALSE ARTICLES
Transformations So Extreme, They Buried the Story
Hundreds of images—property listings, social media, guest bookings—proved the homes were dramatically renovated and elevated under my control.
The before-and-after contrast wasn’t subtle; it was seismic. These visuals alone obliterated the core of the allegations, yet Media24 ran with the script they were handed—never once questioning it.
NEXT CHAPTER .....
The Truth Suid Afrika
Discover the untold stories behind the false headlines of the Media24 articles. Uncover the truth behind the fabricated content of those articles. Understand the motivation that powered the consortium's actions.
"The media's responsibility is to report facts, not create them. To distort is to betray its purpose." Possible attribution: Thomas Jefferson