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Media Freedom News South Africa

Mac against the media wall

The president's spokesman Mac Maharaj has had time to think things through following the Mail & Guardian and Sunday Times reports alleging - yet again - he accepted bribes for tenders as transport minister all those years ago. On Tuesday, 22 November 2011, he was ready with a slightly more nuanced answer. But he still refused to answer whether or not he had lied to the Scorpions. And for now, it appears that the M&G is headed for a sticky showdown in court against Maharaj.
Blacked-out Mail & Guardian lead story, Friday 18 November 2011. Pic  by .
Blacked-out Mail & Guardian lead story, Friday 18 November 2011. Pic tweeted by @GasantAbarder.
click to enlarge

What would Maharaj say to the media, after it had accused him of being a liar and corrupt cabinet minister? In the morning when, 1500km away, the South African Parliament decided it prefers to chart a dystopian future for the entire country, a fistful of journalists crowded into a small room at the Sheraton Hotel in Pretoria to find out.

How Maharaj would deal with the allegations from the M&G and the Sunday Times was always going to be fascinating. His interview with Justice Malala on Sunday morning 20 November has already passed into legend for the bad light in which he painted himself. The allegations from the media that Maharaj took bribes from a company that would later be implicated in arms deal corruption are about eight years old.

This latest round of media investigations and allegations aren't nearly as intense as the last, but this time something has given.

Continue reading the full story on www.dailymaverick.co.za

Source: Daily Maverick

Daily Maverick is a unique blend of news, information, analysis and opinion delivered from our newsrooms in Cape Town and Johannesburg, South Africa. There are many ways to describe exactly what we do (and for the price of a cup of coffee we’re capable of talking your ears off about it), but the best way to understand the end result is to experience it. Every part of Daily Maverick is free-to-air and no payment is required, although free registration is required for a small subset of functions and pages.

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Go to: https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/

About Sipho Hlongwane: @comradesipho

Sipho Hlongwane is a professional communicator and freelance writer based in Cape Town. Follow him on Twitter at @comradesipho.
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