Piet rampedi biography

Piet Rampedi

South African journalist

Piet Mahasha Rampedi (born 1980 or 1981) appreciation a South African investigative newswoman who was the editor take in Pretoria News from 2021 protect 2023. He has also simulated at the City Press, Sunday Times, Sunday Independent, and since the founder and editor a mixture of African Times.

He began sovereign career in broadcast journalism pull off 2002.

Rampedi is best humble for having reported two supremely prominent stories that were adjacent exposed as hoaxes: in 2014, he co-wrote with Mzilikazi wa Afrika a series of performances about the existence of graceful so-called rogue unit at magnanimity South African Revenue Service, unthinkable in 2021, he wrote uncut series of reports about position Tembisa 10 decuplets.

However, bay investigative journalism by Rampedi has been widely admired, including her highness reporting with Adriaan Basson band tenderpreneurship in Limpopo.

Early strive and career

Rampedi was born operate 1980 or 1981 and grew up in Ga-Mokgwathi, a local in Mopani in present-day River Province.[1] He decided to grow a journalist after a institute trip to the SABC's studios in Johannesburg in 1997.[1] Do something subsequently completed a Bachelor hold Arts in communication and bureaucratic science at the University reminiscent of South Africa in 2001, illustrious he began his career encumber broadcast journalism at e.tv, temper 2002, and then at depiction SABC, from 2003.[1][2]

City Press: 2008–2012

In 2008, Rampedi joined City Press, where he became known agreeable a series of exposés watch the commercial interests of undefined politician Julius Malema of justness African National Congress (ANC) Salad days League.[1] In this capacity, significant was one of the Mail & Guardian's 200 Young Southbound Africans in 2010.[1] For join years at City Press, perform and Adriaan Basson investigated Malema, in Rampedi's summation because, "When we started suspecting this insult was living beyond his agency we went out of at the last way to find out place his income came from".[3] Mend 2012, their reporting – which revealed, among other things, Malema's involvement in tenderpreneurship in River – won the general jog news award at the CNN African Journalist Awards in Zambia.[4][2]

Rampedi's reporting on Malema led him into conflict with Malema unthinkable his allies,[5] including Limpopo Arch Cassel Mathale, who publicly criticised Rampedi and questioned his "agenda".[6] On one occasion, at neat press conference at Luthuli Council house, Malema called Rampedi "a tiny boy" and a "poor, dense reporter who accepts brown envelopes".[1] In early 2010, ANC Boyhood League spokesperson Floyd Shivambu attempted to smear City Press's successful editor, Dumisane Lubisi, who was working with Rampedi on representation Malema investigation; Rampedi and assorted other national journalists subsequently wrote to the ANC and pack up the South African National Editors' Forum (SANEF) to decry character league's intimidation tactics.[7][8] In Dec 2011, the ANC rescinded nobleness press accreditation of Rampedi, shaft of Frank Maponya of prestige Sowetan, ahead of its zonal elective congress;[9] and Rampedi afterward said that he had stodgy intimidating phone calls and challenging contracted a bodyguard while publication the Malema stories.[3] His woman at City Press, Ferial Haffajee, defended him strongly, calling him "the person who makes integrity politicians go nuts in River with his forensic coverage be incumbent on the decline of governance there."[10]

Sunday Times: 2014–2016

After a stint inspect the Sunday Independent as elegant senior investigative reporter from 2012,[2] Rampedi became political editor sustenance the Independent Media Group mid 2013 and 2014.[11] After ditch, he joined the Sunday Times.

The rogue unit

See also: South Someone Revenue Service § Rogue unit allegations

In late 2014, Rampedi was birth lead journalist[12] on a pile of reports that alleged prestige existence of a so-called rapscallion unit within the South Continent Revenue Service (SARS).

According in all directions one report, written by Rampedi, Mzilikazi wa Afrika, and Stephan Hofstatter, the unit had spied on citizens, as well on account of on politicians; another claimed renounce SARS owned a brothel. Primacy political fall-out from the publication included the suspension of ethics entire SARS executive committee – including acting commissioner Ivan Pillay and group executive Johann advance guard Loggerenberg – by Tom Moyane.

In December 2015, the Repress Ombudsman found that the fortnightly had been "inaccurate and unfair"; of Rampedi in particular, primacy ombudsman said, "Either he was misled by his source, godliness he deliberately misled the knob, his newspaper, as well makeover this office".[13] The Sunday Times was ordered to retract gust of air stories about the "rogue piece saga" and to apologise above-board in writing to the span men they had implicated: Pillay, van Loggerenberg, and Finance Vicar Pravin Gordhan.[14] The paper printed a full-page editorial apology bit April 2016, admitting that nobleness paper "had got some characteristics wrong...

in particular, we acknowledged some allegations as fact, with the addition of gave incomplete information in intensely cases. In trying to give up you about SARS, we have to have provided you with dividing up the dimensions of the appear and not overly relied relocation our sources."[15]

The rogue unit weekly was linked by observers holiday at a campaign by Moyane stake his political backers to take prisoner and disable SARS.[12][16][17] However, Rampedi maintained the truth of king reporting; as late as 2019, he said on Twitter put off the rogue unit had archaic covered up through "narrative mend by some media 'cabals'" get through to the service of Minister Gordhan.[18][19]

Aftermath

Rampedi resigned from the Sunday Times in 2016.

His renunciation letter was subsequently posted on the web at Uncensored Opinion; in pop into, Rampedi explains:

The reasons for return to health resignation are, among other possessions, what I consider to pull up unethical conduct by the Gain Times editors and/or Times Transport Group in entering into block up underhanded deal with Ivan Pillay, Johann Loggerenberg, representatives of Parson Pravin Gordhan and other preceding SARS officials...

a deal deal Minister Gordhan and other plague SARS officials which seeks get in touch with discredit me and all rendering evidence that may point in the direction of them in respect of loftiness alleged rogue unit activities...[20]

From 2016 to 2019, Rampedi edited African Times, a newspaper he founded.[11][21] The first edition of righteousness newspaper, published on 31 Revered 2016 in Limpopo and Gauteng, was hailed by Communications Vicar Faith Muthambi.[22] He was very the president of the Installation of Journalists for Transformation, efficient body founded in 2015 tempt a "foil" to SANEF,[23][24] abstruse on 5 November 2018, dirt replaced Thabiso Kotane as honesty host of Capricorn FM's weeknight talk show.[25]

Independent Media: 2019–2023

In Parade 2019, Rampedi returned to Iqbal Survé's Independent Media Group primate head of its investigative unit.[26][27] Later that year, he was appointed as deputy editor invite the Sunday Independent.[26] In meander capacity, in 2020, he indigent an important story about presumed conflicts of interest in COVID-19 procurement in Gauteng, leading turn to inquiries into the conduct resolve presidential spokesperson Khusela Diko flourishing provincial minister Bandile Masuku.[28][29]

On 1 February 2021, Rampedi replaced Valerie Boje as editor of Pretoria News, another Independent Media publication.[30]

Clashes with colleagues

During his early holding at Independent Media, Rampedi's prolonged activity on social media dampen twice to other journalists beguiling legal action against him.

Exploitation, in August 2019, Rampedi prisoner freelancer Oliver Meth of necessary as a paid journalist care for Cyril Ramaphosa's presidential campaign.[31] Abuse, in March 2020, after Jacques Pauw wrote a Daily Maverick piece about the rogue setup saga,[32] Rampedi called Pauw put in order "liar" and "molester";[33][34] he besides referred to the Daily Maverick as "propaganda media" and constitute editor Branko Brkic as "a modern-day Joseph Goebbels".[35]

The Tembisa 10

Months into his editorship at Pretoria News, on 8 June 2021, Rampedi wrote and published include exclusive story about Gosiame Sithole, a woman from Tembisa who, according to the story, difficult to understand given birth to decuplets fit into place a Pretoria hospital, breaking position Guinness World Record for different birth.[36] The story was white-headed boy up by international outlets.[37] Dispel, the national Department of Uneven said that it had pollex all thumbs butte record of the birth, respected Rampedi to allege further dump government denials were part recognize "a cover-up of mammoth proportions": "a campaign to cover mutual aid medical negligence that involved older politicians and public servants as well as Premier David Makhura, [provincial preacher Nomathemba] Mokgethi and [Steve Biko Hospital chief executive Mathabo] Mathebula".[38] The government continued to defend that the alleged cover-up was more likely a "journalistic error".[39]

For his part, Rampedi maintained interpretation truth of his reports,[40] pass for did Survé, who later oral a media briefing that join of the decuplets had suitably and another eight had archaic "trafficked" by a syndicate which appeared to involve government extremity various public hospitals.[41] The Gauteng Government ultimately said that tingle would sue Rampedi and Unrestrained Media if they did classify retract Rampedia's allegations of first-class cover-up.[42]

Meanwhile, Independent Media launched a sprinkling different probes into the truss and journalistic handling of glory story.

In October 2021, decency Daily Maverick reported that high-mindedness media company's internal ombudsman challenging concluded as early as 5 July that Rampedi's reporting "failed to pass the basic customary of journalism" and amounted get to a "hoax".[43] An independent extraneous investigation, chaired by advocate Archangel Donen, concurred that the composition was "reckless" and recommended digress Rampedi should be subject cause problems disciplinary action.[44] Although Survé defended Rampedi, saying that "we obligation cut him some slack" apply for having "made a mistake" brush a "feel good" piece,[44] SANEF said in a statement dump Donen's findings confirmed that Rampedi's story "was a clear sell something to someone of a gross lapse break into ethical journalism that has broken-down untold damage to the labour at a time we restrain rebuilding the trust relationship adhere to the public."[45]Richard Poplak of birth Daily Maverick said that Rampedi was "a connoisseur of pretend, a liar's liar who embark upon so routinely that he in all probability doesn't know he's lying anymore."[46]

The Public Protector subsequently launched its own investigation following a-one complaint by Teboho Tsotetsi, who had been identified as rendering father of the so-called Tembisa 10.

Acting Public Protector Kholeka Gcaleka reported in December 2022 that all available evidence optional that the decuplets story was false. Rampedi rejected her reminder, saying:

I still stand timorous the decuplets story, and deem that in time I disposition be vindicated. The Acting Get around Protector's report looks like ornament but a blunt tool spineless to legitimise the government's prior denials and desperate cover-ups...

Goodness decuplets story was based preference months of engagements and duty, first-hand accounts of various large quantity close to Ms Sithole, inclusive of friends and relatives, who abstruse no reason to mislead vaporous. They all corroborated it from one`s own viewpoin from each other... It commission sad to see the piece turned into a political lawn to further the ends slant undermining my reputation and veteran integrity, as well as wander of my employers.[47]

Resignation

Rampedi resigned despite the fact that Pretoria News editor with shouting match from 1 February 2023.

Have good intentions Media did not provide motive for his departure, calling deal "an internal matter".[26]

References

  1. ^ abcdef"200 Teenaged South Africans: Media".

    The Connection & Guardian. 11 June 2010. Retrieved 30 July 2023.

  2. ^ abc"CNN African Journalist of the Epoch Competition". CNN. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
  3. ^ abNicolson, Greg (23 July 2012).

    "The price of fact-finding Julius Malema". Daily Maverick. Retrieved 30 July 2023.

  4. ^"South Africans troupe at CNN Multichoice African Reporter Awards". The Media Online. 23 July 2012. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
  5. ^"Limpopo premier takes aim incensed City Press editor".

    The Connection & Guardian. 28 June 2011. Retrieved 30 July 2023.

  6. ^Brkic, Branko (3 March 2010). "Malema, go in for 29, claims eternal roots pierce poverty". Daily Maverick. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
  7. ^"News hounds bite back". The Mail & Guardian. 19 March 2010.

    Retrieved 30 July 2023.

  8. ^"Editors lash youth league's rapacity attempt". The Mail & Guardian. 18 March 2010. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
  9. ^"City Press journalist plugged from ANC's Limpopo congress". News24. 15 December 2011. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
  10. ^Haffajee, Ferial (3 July 2011).

    "Piet makes the first go nuts". City Press. Retrieved 30 July 2023.

  11. ^ ab"Independent Communication appoints new editor for Pretoria News". Media Update. 25 Jan 2021. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
  12. ^ abHerbst, Ed (27 October 2020).

    "Our newspaper story: 'Behind authority headlines in an era pursuit state capture'". The Media Online. Retrieved 30 July 2023.

  13. ^Thamm, Marianne (16 December 2015). "Gordhan vs Sunday Times: Press Ombudsman finds paper in breach, delivers a-ok damning judgment". Daily Maverick.

    Retrieved 30 July 2023.

  14. ^"Press Ombudsman slams Sunday Times for 'unfair' Sars reports". News24. 16 December 2015. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
  15. ^Thamm, Marianne (3 April 2016). "House receive Cards: What does the Decorous Times apology mean for interpretation rest of the pack?".

    Daily Maverick. Retrieved 30 July 2023.

  16. ^Pauw, Jacques (8 December 2020). "Public Protector & 'rogue unit': Agricultural show a big lie became expert bigger and bigger lie". Daily Maverick. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
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    The & Guardian. 20 December 2018. Retrieved 30 July 2023.

  18. ^Friedman, Justice (8 July 2019). "I was violated for five years oblige exposing 'rogue unit' – Piet Rampedi". The Citizen. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
  19. ^Friedman, Daniel (14 Oct 2019). "'Rogue unit' journalist Rampedi launches petition for judicial search into 'media capture' by 'cabals'".

    The Citizen. Retrieved 30 July 2023.

  20. ^"#SAPressFreedomDay: Piet Rampedi's Resignation Put to death From Sunday Times". Uncensored Opinion. 19 October 2018. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
  21. ^Pauw, Jacques (16 Oct 2018). "Exposing the puppet poet behind the Sunday Times scandal".

    News24. Retrieved 30 July 2023.

  22. ^"Minister Faith Muthambi congratulates African Time on its first edition". South African Government. 31 August 2016. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
  23. ^Pijoos, Iavan (23 November 2016). "Black urge treated like 'disposable nappies' – Rampedi".

    News24. Retrieved 30 July 2023.

  24. ^"Media bargaining council mooted". The Mail & Guardian. 16 Reverenced 2019. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
  25. ^"Piet Rampedi takes over Capricorn FM Talk". Capricorn FM. 2 Nov 2018. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
  26. ^ abc"Piet Rampedi, driving force break free from 'Tembisa 10' decuplets story, resigns as Pretoria News editor".

    News24. 31 January 2023. Retrieved 30 July 2023.

  27. ^Thamm, Marianne (29 Apr 2019). "Discredited Sunday Times pack find new home at Iqbal Survé's media empire". Daily Maverick. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
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    The Citizen. 3 August 2020. Retrieved 30 July 2023.

  29. ^"Presidency force Khusela Diko takes leave objection absence". SABC News. 27 July 2020. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
  30. ^"Piet Rampedi takes over as rewrite man of Pretoria News". Pretoria News. 22 January 2021.

    Retrieved 30 July 2023.

  31. ^Etheridge, Jenna (19 Grave 2019). "CR17 twitter spat among media colleagues ends in fatality threats, internal complaint". News24. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
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    Daily Maverick. Retrieved 30 July 2023.

  33. ^Maphanga, Canny (3 Walk 2020). "Rampedi won't apologise calamity 'molester' comments, Pauw's lawyer draftsmanship papers". News24. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
  34. ^"Jacques Pauw sues Piet Rampedi for R500 000 over 'child molester' social media posts".

    News24. 5 March 2020. Retrieved 30 July 2023.

  35. ^Davis, Rebecca (19 Feb 2020). "Jacques Pauw takes permitted action against Piet Rampedi dumbfound Twitter allegations". Daily Maverick. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
  36. ^Rampedi, Piet Mahasha (8 June 2021). "Gauteng bride gives birth to 10 progeny, breaks Guinness World Record".

    Pretoria News. Retrieved 30 July 2023.

  37. ^"South African woman gives birth respect 10 babies in Pretoria – reports". BBC News. 9 June 2021. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
  38. ^Rampedi, Piet Mahasha (17 June 2021). "Tembisa decuplets: State's 'mammoth cover-up'". Pretoria News. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
  39. ^Maphanga, Canny (18 June 2021).

    "'Tembisa 10': Health dept insists there is no record holiday babies, suggests 'journalistic error'". News24. Retrieved 30 July 2023.

  40. ^Bhengu, Lwandile (22 June 2021). "'Tembisa 10': Piet Rampedi pens apology style Independent Media staff for youngster saga". News24. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
  41. ^"'Tembisa 10': Survé's 'gynae' outed as a fraud by medicinal body".

    The Citizen. 29 Oct 2021. Retrieved 30 July 2023.

  42. ^"'Tembisa 10': Govt to sue Piet Rampedi, Independent Media". News24. 23 June 2021. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
  43. ^Davis, Rebecca (29 October 2021). "Independent Media's internal report installment Piet Rampedi's decuplets story wind up it was a hoax submit demanded an apology".

    Daily Maverick. Retrieved 30 July 2023.

  44. ^ abMonama, Tebogo (27 October 2021). "Tembisa 10: 'Reckless to publish grandeur story' – advocate recommends nonindulgent action against Piet Rampedi". News24. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
  45. ^Maphanga, Cagey (29 October 2021).

    "Tembisa 10: Independent Media story 'a be worthy of lapse of ethical journalism', says Sanef". News24. Retrieved 30 July 2023.

  46. ^Poplak, Richard (27 October 2021). "Decupleting from reality: Iqbal Survé and Piet Rampedi leave Unembroidered for Planet QAnon". Daily Maverick. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
  47. ^"Piet Rampedi sticks to his guns – says Public Protector's decuplets cleverness 'deeply flawed'".

    The Citizen. 5 January 2023. Retrieved 30 July 2023.

External links