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Roberts primes a bomb
By PAUL KIRK
RONALD Suresh Roberts, the man Cape High Court judge Leslie Weinkove recently found to be “paranoid and obsessed” and a name-dropper”, is starting a magazine which he and his business partner, James Sanders, hope to have on the shelves by March.
Sanders told The Citizen yesterday he was in South Africa to set up the magazine.
Sanders told The Citizen the publication, which he and Roberts had styled Molotov Cocktail, would feature investigative stories without the “relentless negativity” toward the government and the ANC, that he claim is the hallmark of much of the South African media.
Sanders, who edited investigative magazine Noseweek for three months, said his business partner Roberts was a “fine writer”, and he had no fear his involvement in the magazine would lead people to regard Molotov Cocktail as a mouthpiece for the ANC or the state.
“Ronald is a fine writer, and when people see my track record they will realize I am not anyone’s mouthpiece,” said Sanders.
Both Sanders and Roberts are harsh critics of the official opposition.
Roberts slammed Tony Leon’s father, Judge Ramon Leon, as a “hanging judge” for passing the death sentence on Andrew Zondo – an MK operative who bombed a block of flats in Amanzimtoti.
But in court advocate Wim Trengrove mocked Roberts by pointing out he repeatedly got Zondo’s name wrong, calling him Matthew – an indication, said Trengove, that Roberts had done “no research whatsoever”.
Handing down judgment in the defamation case brought against the Sunday Times by Roberts, Judge Weinkove said Roberts “Engaged in name-dropping, and he purported to enjoy the patronage of people who occupy high positions in the corridors or power and influence.”
Among other people, Roberts claimed to have President Thabo Mbeki as one of his patrons.
The article that offended Roberts was headlined: “The Unlikeable Mr Roberts.”
In response to questions in Parliament last year, Dr Essop Pahad denied having secured a sponsorship for Roberts to write a book on the “intellectual traditions” of President Thabo Mbeki.
But during Roberts’s defamation claim, papers were lodged showing that Absa had sponsored Roberts after Pahad had approached them seeking funding for Roberts to write the book on Mbeki.
Gibson said he had asked the Speaker to set up a committee to investigate whether Pahad had lied to Parliament or not.
Asked to comment on the new magazine, Gibson said: “The more things change the more they stay the same. Dr Connie Mulder and Doctor Eschell Rhoodie would have said exactly the same.
“I think it is urgently necessary that the funding of this publication be opened for public scrutiny.
“If it turns out that the government or Dr Pahad, whether in his official or his personal capacity, is financing the magazine we will know what to expect.”
Attempts to reach Roberts failed yesterday. Sanders undertook to ask his business partner to contact The Citizen, but Roberts did not do so .
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