Probe finds 'Thembisa 10' story was recklessly published without corroborating the facts

But questions remain over why no babies can be found

27 October 2021 - 15:20
subscribe Just R20 for the first month. Support independent journalism by subscribing to our digital news package.
Subscribe now
An inquiry by advocate Michael Donen SC has found that Independent Media was reckless to publish the story on the birth of decuplets without any corroborating evidence.
An inquiry by advocate Michael Donen SC has found that Independent Media was reckless to publish the story on the birth of decuplets without any corroborating evidence.
Image: Zoom screenshot

An inquiry into reports on the “birth of decuplets” in Thembisa found that Independent Media was reckless in publishing the story without any facts corroborating what the father told the media group.

Advocate Michael Donen SC, who chaired the external inquiry, shared the findings of his investigation on Wednesday. 

Donen said there were ethical breaches committed by Independent Media and said Pretoria News editor Piet Rampedi, who wrote the story, failed to do due diligence in his reporting. 

“Mr Rampedi concluded to publish the story to say 10 babies were born, without any corroboration. It was reckless because the only evidence was what the alleged father [Mr Tsotetsi] said to him. According to journalistic standards, that was reckless,” Donen said. 

Donen found that Rampedi violated Independent Media's code. He said the story was misleading.

“He had it in the headline and first sentence that 10 babies were born when all he had was a report by the father. He had a duty to find corroborative evidence,” Donen said.

He recommended that disciplinary proceedings be instituted against Rampedi. 

Independent Media executive chairman Dr Iqbal Survé said earlier that Rampedi had been removed from working on the story and it was being handled by the editor-in-chief and other journalists. 

Survé said when they first published the story, it was meant to be a “feel-good story” and not an investigative piece. 

Donen had no doubt that Sithole had been pregnant because many witnesses confirmed her pregnancy. These included family, church members and neighbours. 

“It would have been impossible to mislead so many people. There is no doubt she was pregnant,” he said, adding that the real question was whether 10 babies were born or not. 

As a human rights lawyer, Donen said he failed to understand why the state went to extreme lengths to detain Sithole unlawfully and put her in a psychiatric hospital. 

“Shortly after being detained, she wanted to talk to her attorney. It is clear she had a story to tell and by hook or crook, they would not let her tell it to the world or her attorney.”

Donen said it was clear that the arrest and detention of Sithole were unlawful.

“She was arrested by police for being a missing person and they changed it later to say she is detained in accordance with the Mental Health Act. This was irregular and unlawful.”

He also said it was puzzling that the department of social development said a doctor had evaluated Sithole and said she was not pregnant.

“That screamed at me. Pictures were evident she was pregnant. There was no doctor’s report attached to their report,” Donen said.

He said the conduct of a social worker, only named as MM, was questionable when she facilitated the detention. Donen said the social worker ducked legal requirements.

He said the social worker was the same person assisting Sithole after she delivered triplets in 2018. The triplets have since disappeared and Donen said the social worker failed to tell the father of the triplets about their whereabouts or give records on where they were taken. 

“The father of the triplets went through the trouble to find his babies. He saw them when they were incubated at eight weeks and in the ninth week they were gone,” Donen said. 

“It's different with the triplets because someone [their father] saw the triplets.”

Donen said this was an extraordinary situation and all sorts of conclusions could be drawn on why the baby or babies could not be found.

“She previously had triplets and the triplets disappeared. That situation demands an investigation. In this situation there is a compelling need to establish what really happened to the babies.”

TimesLIVE


subscribe Just R20 for the first month. Support independent journalism by subscribing to our digital news package.
Subscribe now