North West premier Job Mokgoro takes on Sunday Sun over 'sex drama' article

18 May 2020 - 18:22 By ERNEST MABUZA
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North West premier Job Mokgoro has lodged a formal complaint with the Sunday Sun over an article claiming his partner had an affair with his adviser.
North West premier Job Mokgoro has lodged a formal complaint with the Sunday Sun over an article claiming his partner had an affair with his adviser.
Image: Thapelo Morebudi

North West premier Job Mokgoro has lodged a formal complaint with the Sunday Sun internal ombudsman after an article at the weekend involved himself in scandalous activity.

The newspaper — under the headline “Premier in sex drama! Mokgoro said to be fuming” — reported that Mokgoro had kicked his partner out of his house amid allegations that his partner and his adviser were having an affair.

The newspaper reported that Mokgoro terminated his relationship with his partner after many years together.

The newspaper reported that rumours about the affair between Mokgoro's partner and his adviser surfaced after the adviser cancelled his meeting with the premier, saying he was ill. The newspaper said on the same weekend in October last year, Mokgoro's partner allegedly requested permission from the premier to visit her family.

The report states that when the adviser heard about the allegations, he tried to speak to the premier, who refused to entertain him.

In a statement on Monday, Mokgoro's spokesperson Vuyisile Ngesi said the premier was of the view that the article was published with malicious intent and bordered on character assassination.

Ngesi said the misleading headline implied moral ineptitude and a character flaw in the person of Mokgoro, as well as the office he holds.

“If somebody reads the post and then reads the article, there are two different accounts,” he said.

Ngesi said the complaint was with the paper's internal ombud. “However, in the event that the premier does not receive a favourable response from the Sunday Sun internal ombudsman, he will then exercise the option to approach the Press Council ombudsman to lodge a complaint on the same matter.”

He said the premier has presented all his concerns to the ombud.

This article will be updated when a response is received from the Sunday Sun.


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