The REAL scandal here is that @News24 appears to believe that government contracts should be reserved for ANC and government loyalists. Since when did serving the public become synonymous with serving the ruling party?
Political controversy is not proof of corruption. Allegation is not evidence. And insinuation is not investigative journalism.
If there is evidence of corruption, let it be published and tested against the facts. If there is evidence of misconduct, identify the conduct and demonstrate the wrongdoing. But if the central issue is simply that Jacinta is willing to risk her own income rather than compromise her convictions, then that is not evidence of corruption. It is a question of principle, independence and personal conviction.
More fundamentally, government contracts are not political rewards. They are public resources that must be administered in accordance with the law, applicable procurement rules and the public interest. No individual should be entitled to a government contract merely because they support the ANC, and no individual should be disadvantaged merely because they oppose it. Public procurement must be governed by lawful criteria, not political loyalty.
Any suggestion that political allegiance should determine who gets access to government opportunities would represent a fundamental departure from the principles of fairness, accountability and impartial public administration. A system that rewards connections over compliance, competence and value for money creates precisely the conditions in which patronage flourishes and public service delivery suffers.
The same standard must apply to journalism. @News24 is entitled to investigate Jacinta, @MarchAndMarchSA and @afriforum. Indeed, scrutiny of powerful or politically controversial actors is an essential function of a free press. But that scrutiny must be evidence-led, proportionate and fair. The seriousness of an insinuation cannot substitute for the strength of the evidence supporting it.
Given the criticism levelled at previous @News24 reporting involving @afriforum, this latest story deserves to be assessed on its actual evidence, not on the authority of the publication carrying it. A respected media brand does not make a weak inference stronger, and a provocative headline does not turn an unproven allegation into an established fact.
The standard is simple: show the evidence, establish the wrongdoing and let the facts speak for themselves.
South Africa has paid a heavy price for the blurring of political loyalty and public responsibility. We should be challenging that culture, not normalising it. And we should be demanding better from the media institutions entrusted with informing the public.
Investigate without fear. Report without favour. But above all, substantiate what you publish. Credibility is earned through evidence, not insinuation.
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