TIMES CAUTIONED

The Times has been cautioned by the Press Ombudsman for inaccurately and unfairly stating in the headline "No cash for basic services" published on June 15 2012, an opinion as fact.

This comes after a complaint was lodged by T Khuzwayo, municipal manager of the Umgungundlovu District Municipality about an article written by Thando Mgaga.

The municipality complained that the:

• Allegation that staff members had to bring their own toilet paper to work was reported out of context;
• Journalist failed to indicate direct quotations from a speech or written reply, resulting in "no distinction between facts, opinion and rumours";
• Journalist failed to verify any of the information with the municipality;
• Story disregarded the dignity and reputation of the municipality, the mayor and the municipal manager;
• Story suppressed and distorted relevant facts;
• Story linked three unrelated issues, thereby creating the wrong impression about financial spending; and
• Headline and caption were sensationalistic and did not reasonably reflect the content of the story.

Deputy Press Ombudsman Johan Retief dismissed the complaints but found that the first part of the story's headline is in breach of Art. 1.1 of the Press Code that states: "The press shall be obliged to report news.accurately and fairly."

Visit www.presscouncil.org.za (rulings, 2012) for the full finding."