Witness says journalists paid off #StateCaptureInquiry

Crime Intelligence paid journalists tens of thousands of rands to either withhold or run certain stories. That’s according to a former Intelligence official, identified as Colonel Naidoo, at the State Capture Inquiry. Naidoo has been in witness protection for about eight years and is giving evidence in camera.

He’s added to allegations implicating journalist and editor, Ranjeni Munusamy. She reportedly denies all claims. Much of Colonel Naidoo’s evidence places the conduct of some journalists under a microscope.

The witness, testifying for a second day, says he was sitting with Crime Intelligence members in late October 2011, when one of them questions whether they need to ‘spin a story’.

What does that mean?

Naidoo says via an audio link. “What I understood that to mean was using journalists either to plant information in the media in favour of crime intelligence. I have knowledge of other incidents where journalists were either paid or were in touch with crime intelligence members.

Naidoo says that when one journalist threatened to run a negative story on Crime Intelligence…he or she, allegedly had to be paid off.

This journalist had information on crime intelligence that would have been detrimental had it been published. He needed, R20k or R25k. Basically he had to pay this journalist off. Naidoo’s testimony continues on Tuesday.

In other news – Gauteng housing department addressing backlog

Gauteng’s housing department says its making progress in addressing the backlog in the province but it still faces several challenges.

The department announced early this month that it had resuscitated its urban renewal plan. This is for areas including Alexandra, Winterveld, Bekkersdal and Kliptown. Read more

Source: eNCA

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