- PRESS COUNCIL COMPLAINT PART 2: AMENDED SUBMISSION DETAILING SOME OF THE MOST SIGNIFICANT PRESS CODE BREACHES IN A GENERATION

The amended complaint submitted to the Press Council Ombudsman on 29 October 2024 is the culmination of an extraordinary effort to address the extensive, deliberate, and deeply damaging breaches of the Press Code by Media24 and its affiliated publications, including News24, Netwerk24, Rapport, Die Burger, and IOL.

 

This submission is not simply an expansion of the initial complaint filed on 22 August 2024—it represents a complete restructuring, following extensive engagement with the Ombudsman’s office, resulting in a meticulously organized and legally precise document designed to ensure the strongest possible case is made. This amended complaint removes all ambiguity, distils 119 fabricated, false, and misleading statements, and presents the irrefutable evidence necessary to establish gross ethical and professional misconduct by Media24.

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The Scale Of The Violations And The Need For This Submission

 

From August 2022 to February 2023, Media24 engaged in an unrelenting campaign of defamation and misinformation, publishing at least six primary articles, with eleven republished versions, across multiple platforms and print editions.

 

The articles:

• Repeatedly presented fabrications as fact, with the false narrative constructed entirely by one source: Wouter de Swardt private investigator hired by Keith and Inge Broad, with a clear financial agenda to unlawfully seize the property.

• Omitted all exculpatory evidence, including multiple court rulings, video evidence, financial records, and sworn affidavits that directly contradicted their claims.

 

Systematically denied the right of reply, failing to contact me even once before publication or after. When I later provided detailed, substantiated corrections, they were dismissed outright.

 

Failed to verify even the most basic facts, despite ample documentation being available at the time of publication.

As documented in this complaint, these violations go far beyond journalistic negligence—they represent a deliberate and reckless disregard for the truth, weaponizing media influence to serve the financial and legal interests of private individuals.

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The Amended Complaint: Structure And Content

 

To ensure maximum clarity and effectiveness, the amended complaint has been condensed and restructured, resulting in a single, cohesive submission that:

 

• Reduces the original 665-page submission into a 14-page core complaint document, ensuring all violations are clearly defined and substantiated.

• Separates key sections for accessibility, allowing the Ombudsman to focus on the most pressing violations.

• Includes a fully indexed annexure, providing direct documentary evidence, analysis, and context to support every claim made.

 

This submission includes the following critical sections:

 

• Introduction – Outlining the complaint, the parties involved, and the Press Code violations at the heart of the case.

• Violations of the Press Code – Providing a detailed breakdown of the ethical breaches committed by Media24, backed by direct examples from the articles.

• Media24’s Refusal to Engage – Documenting every attempt made to correct the record, all of which were ignored or dismissed without justification.

• The Evidence – Presenting a comprehensive compilation of materials, including court rulings, witness statements, WhatsApp and email records, financial records, and analysis of Media24’s selective reporting.

• The Impact – Detailing the catastrophic consequences of Media24’s false reporting, including financial ruin, loss of liberty, permanent reputational harm, and ongoing security threats.

 

Conclusion and Request for Action – Urging the Press Council to impose the highest possible Tier 3 sanctions against Media24 for their reckless, malicious, and damaging conduct.

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The Press Council’s Role And Media24’s Unprecedented Evasion

 

The Press Council is South Africa’s highest authority for journalistic ethics. Its mandate is to hold media organizations accountable when they violate public trust by engaging in:

 

• Deliberate Or Reckless Dissemination Of Falsehoods

• Refusal To Correct Or Retract Damaging Misinformation

• Denial Of The Right Of Reply In Matters Of Severe Reputational Harm

 

This amended complaint sets a precedent due to the scale and severity of the violations committed by Media24. As documented in the submission, in over a decade of Press Council cases, there has never been a complaint involving such an overwhelming volume of fabrications, violations, and deliberate omissions.

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Media24’s Ongoing Refusal To Acknowledge The Harm Caused

 

Beyond the initial failures of journalistic integrity, Media24’s continued refusal to engage serves as a direct continuation of their misconduct:

 

• No response was given to my initial complaint for weeks—requiring repeated follow-ups.

• After a month of continuous work reducing the submission as requested, the Ombudsman’s office never provided any further feedback, let alone initiated an investigation.

• Despite my persistent attempts to engage and my willingness to provide all necessary documentation, the Press Council’s investigation has yet to proceed.

 

Had Media24’s conduct been investigated when first raised, the matter would already be resolved. Instead, their refusal to correct or retract their false claims means:

 

• The false articles remain live across multiple platforms, continuing to inflict severe reputational and financial harm.

• The damage is as severe today as it was when first published, due to the enduring power of online media vs. print media.

• Rather than seeking to minimize harm, Media24 has actively chosen to let the falsehoods persist indefinitely allowing the damage to compound over time.

 

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The Unprecedented Damage Caused By Media24’S Conduct

 

• Before the articles – I owned six properties generating over R20 million per year, alongside moveable assets exceeding R30 million.

• After the articles – I lost everything, including my business, assets, home, and ability to earn an income.

• I was unlawfully imprisoned for three months, with the articles cited as justification for my arrest.

• To this day, I am unable to secure housing or rebuild my life—as long as the false allegations remain unchallenged.

 

This complaint is not just about seeking justice for myself—it is about holding South Africa’s largest media organization accountable for its reckless abuse of power.

 

 

A Defining Test Of The Press Council’S Authority

 

Media24’s misconduct in this case is not an isolated incident—it represents a fundamental failure of South Africa’s largest media organization to uphold basic ethical standards.

 

This complaint challenges the very integrity of the Press Code itself:

• If these violations go unpunished, the Press Code becomes meaningless—giving media outlets free rein to fabricate allegations without consequence.

• If Media24 is not held accountable, it sets a dangerous precedent—where deliberate misinformation can be weaponized against individuals for personal and financial gain.

• If the Press Council refuses to act, it effectively legitimizes one of the most egregious examples of media misconduct in recent history.

 

This submission stands as an unprecedented, evidence-backed case of media malpractice—and it demands a decisive and unequivocal response.

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Conclusion: A Demand For The Strongest Sanction Possible

 

Given the extraordinary scale of the violations, the severity of the harm inflicted, and Media24’s ongoing refusal to take accountability, this complaint calls for the highest available sanction under the Press Council’s jurisdiction:

 

• A Full Retraction Of The Articles

• A Formal Public Apology And Correction

• A Tier 3 Sanction For Deliberate And Reckless Violations Of The Press Code

 

This is not merely a request for redress—it is a demand for a precedent-setting ruling that ensures no South African media outlet can ever again engage in this level of misconduct without consequence.