Kabuso Report a Fine Piece of Investigative Journalism

The Herald lead story, (“Report Fingers Faku,” April 5), is a classic example of investigative journalism at its best.

It deals with the Kabuso forensic report into corruption, and details the alleged activities of prominent ANC politicians and private business personalities.

At no stage does The Herald accuse anyone of corruption.The report – which the ruling party has seen fit to keep under wraps for two years – does that without help from anyone, and The Herald has, in the best interests of accountability and transparency, correctly informed the public about disturbing issues which have been the subject of rumours for years, and which involve the public purse.

However, Mr Roland Williams, who heads the municipality’s Communications Unit, doesn’t see it that way.

Claiming to speak on behalf of the municipality with its 7,000-strong staff – all paid by the people – he describes The Herald’s decision to publish sections of the report as “highly unethical”, and accuses The Herald of “deliberately” tarnishing the image of the Municipality, of vilifying “certain persons” and of “promoting a particular political party at the expense of another – and at the expense of ethical journalism”.

It is clear from the presumptious arrogant claptrap that characterises Williams’s comments that he knows nothing about press freedom , freedom of speech or “ethical journalism”.

If, as Williams claims, the Kabuso report was initiated by the municipality, Metro politicians should, surely, be delighted that the mind-boggling rot that threatens the local authority is finally being exposed.

If Williams was aware of the unwritten law for public servants of no politics at the workplace, he may not have resorted to dramatically stating that “we take strong offence to continued unwarranted, unsubstantiated and biased claims to the contrary by a very few, whose biased, unverified opinions happen to find a voice in abetting unethical newspaper reports”.

Who, by the way, Mr Williams, are “we”?

It would appear that this public servant, who each month takes home a generous salary courtesy of the people, believes that “no amount of balderdash and cheap semantical aberrations by The Herald can excuse such blatantly gross unethical reporting”.

Instead of meddling in politics, his time would be better spent upgrading a system that sees correspondence from councillors and the public not being acknowledged or responded to.

Or, if he was really interested in improving the “tarnished image” of the Metro, he might like to blast the municipality for not paying building contractors and suppliers who build homes for the Metro’s 93,000 families for the sort of home the Constitution and the Metro’s Integrated Development Plan call for. Is Williams aware that this municipal “aberration” has resulted in important housing contracts being cancelled? If he is, why has he remained silent on such a disgraceful matter?

The Democratic Alliance believes that, by publishing parts of what is, essentially, a secret report – what was that about transparency and accountability, Mr Williams? – The Herald has performed an important democratic public service by keeping the people informed.

The people have the right to know how their money is being spent – or stolen – and no-one, including Williams, has the right to dictate how the still-free media goes about its business.

By the way, Mr Williams, when the Executive Mayor wants the people to know about his activities, you are the first one to “run to” the media for help, and this includes The Herald.

Williams is a liability the Metro can no longer afford.

Terry Herbst
DA Councillor