I was violated for five years for exposing ‘rogue unit’ – Piet Rampedi

Former Sunday Times journalist Piet Rampedi, who resigned after the publication retracted its reports on the so-called Sars “rogue unit” in 2015, has taken to Twitter to make damning allegations against those he claims plotted to silence him and his colleagues.

According to Rampedi, who is currently investigations editor at Independent Media as well as editor at African Times, Tiso Blackstar founder Andrew Bonamour conspired with Minister of Public Enterprises Pravin Gordhan in return for “commercial support”.

Rampedi accuses Bonamour of having “connived with Pravin Gordhan to sacrifice me, hound me out of [The Sunday Times], and lie about the existence of [the] ‘rogue unit’ in exchange for commercial support for Tiso”.

Following the release of a report by Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane on Friday, June 6, which found that reports on the establishment of the intelligence unit were “substantiated” and that Gordhan’s role in this was a violation of the constitution, Rampedi took to Twitter to share what he alleged was a cover-up of the truth on the part of Bonamour alongside several of the media company’s editors.

READ MORE: Gordhan lied to parliament, Zondo about Gupta meetings – Mkhwebane

Rampedi claims Bonamour, with the help of current Sunday Times editor Bongani Siqoko, Sowetan editor Sthembiso Msomi and Tiso Blackstar deputy managing director Moshoeshoe Monare tried to “force” him out, “kill” the “rogue unit” stories, “smear” him and “appease” Gordhan.

He further alleged that he was “violated” for five years for exposing the unit.

This, he said, involved “a clique of paid journos, columnists, NGOs, and authors” who smeared him, ordered politicians and advertisers not to support his publication, African Times, and blocked him from economic opportunities.

The President’s Keepers author Jacques Pauw is the only alleged “paid journo” mentioned by name.

Pauw has not yet responded to requests for comment. He has, however, been open, vocal and consistent in his criticism of the “rogue unit” reports.

“This was not just sloppy reporting or journalists that got it wrong. This was manufactured journalism that was meant to misinform and to ultimately damage our law-enforcement agencies. This was journalism that had a higher purpose: to keep Jacob Zuma in power and weaken and ultimately eliminate his enemies,” he wrote in 2018 on News24 in a piece titled ‘Exposing the puppet masters behind the Sunday Times scandal’.

Attempts on the part of The Citizen to contact Bonamour, Siqoko, Msomi, and Monare were instead responded to with a short statement from Tiso Blackstar.

READ MORE: Veteran journalists in messy twar over Sars story

“Tiso Blackstar Group has noted the inaccurate, false and fabricated statements from its former employee Piet Rampedi,” the statement reads.

“While we intend to respond to Mr Rampedi through a legal process, we wish to reiterate that the decision taken by the Sunday Times was not influenced by any external political or commercial pressure as alleged by Mr Rampedi,” it concludes.

Reports in The Sunday Times regarding the “rogue unit” were found to be “inaccurate, misleading, and unfair” by the press ombudsman and the newspaper was forced to apologise.

In 2015, the press ombudsman ruled that the Sunday Times must retract all stories on the “rogue unit saga” and to apologise to Pravin Gordhan as well as others implicated after Gordhan, former Sars deputy commissioner Ivan Pillay, and former Sars executive Johann van Loggerenberg lodged a complaint.

In my 2016 resignation letter from @SundayTimesZA, over its #RogueUnit cover up & nefarious deal between @andrewbon123 & Pravin #Gordhan, I said: "The truth is like toxic waste. Even if you can burry it, it has a funny way of emerging from the surface." Today, it did. #Mkhwebane https://t.co/WN5czdsi0K

— Mr Putin (@mahasharampedi) July 5, 2019

2. #Tiso CEO @andrewbon123 used @SiqokoST, @moshoeshoeMN & @Sthezozo to force me out, "kill" #RogueUnit stories, smear me & appease #Gordhan. Instead of destroying me, they destroyed @SundayTimesZA's credibility beyond redemption to a point of selling Tiso. Very sad #Mkhwebane pic.twitter.com/LRIzxOB8Re

— Mr Putin (@mahasharampedi) July 5, 2019

3 They violated me for 5 yrs for exposing #RogueUnit. They used a clique of paid journos, columnists, NGOs & authors like @Jaqqs to smear me; used #SARS to destroy my paper; ordered politicians & advertisers not to support it; & blocked me from economic opportunities. #Mkhwebane pic.twitter.com/mIBFtvrhJs

— Mr Putin (@mahasharampedi) July 5, 2019

4 After failing to smear & break me, they used #SARS last year to cancel an existing 12-month repayment agreement with African Times. This affected the paper's tax clearance & made it impossible for govnt entities to advertise or pay for services rendered. #Mkhwebane #RogueUnit pic.twitter.com/ZCBW44EfmW

— Mr Putin (@mahasharampedi) July 5, 2019

5 After using #SARS to cripple my paper, they tried to intimidate my new employers to cut ties with me. One was asked, "why did you employ my enemy?". Another, Dr Surve, was told "your decision to hire Piet is a declaration of war". He has never known peace ever since #Mkhwebane pic.twitter.com/4QXRIf1nfz

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— Mr Putin (@mahasharampedi) July 5, 2019

6 This is the man who connived with Pravin #Gordhan to sacrifice me, hound me out of @SundayTimesZA & lie about the existence of #RogueUnit in exchange for commercial support for #Tiso. His name is @andrewbon123. He pulled the strings from behind. #Mkhwebane #PublicProtector pic.twitter.com/IZPbT8qXwE

— Mr Putin (@mahasharampedi) July 5, 2019

6 #Tiso CEO @andrewbon123, Dep MD @moshoeshoeMN
& @SundayTimesZA
editor @SiqokoST
killed a reputable media group, costing hundreds of journos their jobs, just for #Gordhan. They deliberately abandoned ethics, played politics & misled readers via bogus #RogueUnit apologies. SAD!! pic.twitter.com/YMkoA73vbG

— Mr Putin (@mahasharampedi) July 5, 2019

7 This is the man who connived & enforced @andrewbon123 nefarious #RogueUnit deal with Pravin #Gordhan at my expense. His name is @moshoeshoeMN. He even lied on Power FM that @IamMzilikazi & I had been manipulated by SSA elements to peddle lies about Gordhan. #PublicProtector pic.twitter.com/CLKNV4W3sl

— Mr Putin (@mahasharampedi) July 5, 2019

8. This is the man who connived with Pravin #Gordhan to kick me out of @SundayTimesZA for exposing #RogueUnit. His name is editor @SiqokoST. He abandoned ethics, retracted factual stories, & issued bogus apologies to discredit us & "clean" Gordhan's image. #PublicProtector pic.twitter.com/nd9DewvY1N

— Mr Putin (@mahasharampedi) July 5, 2019

9 This is the man who connived & sold me out to #Gordhan for exposing #RogueUnit. His name is Sthembiso Msomi. Together with @SiqokoST & @moshoeshoeMN, he struck a nefarious deal to sacrifice me & suppress stories. @andrewbon123 rewarded him with a Sowetan job. #PublicProtector pic.twitter.com/8GpM8t84Ac

— Mr Putin (@mahasharampedi) July 5, 2019

10 Driven by same #RogueUnit inspired vendetta, they orchestrated @IamMzilikazi's departure from @SundayTimesZA through editor @SiqokoST & Tiso henchman @moshoeshoeMN, who asked him to "go home & lie low" because "we are under pressure from Pravin Gordhan & Paul O Sullivan". SAD! pic.twitter.com/qGfsg4BTf9

— Mr Putin (@mahasharampedi) July 7, 2019

11. @moshoeshoeMN & @SiqokoST paid @IamMzilikazi monthly salary plus leave days to stay at home but spread a rumour that he had been fired for unethical journalism, thus casting aspersions on his integrity. The cabal used the rumour to attack Mzi & cause manufactured public anger pic.twitter.com/U4L8wC25Xi

— Mr Putin (@mahasharampedi) July 7, 2019

12 @IamMzilikazi
was never fired from @SundayTimesZA. He was asked to "lie low" to please #Gordhan, who allegedly asked "what is that guy still doing in the building?". Tiso Blackstar's @andrewbon123
sacrified Mzi for government adverts. They sacrificed the truth for money. pic.twitter.com/0HMLePFIXE

— Mr Putin (@mahasharampedi) July 7, 2019

13 @SundayTimesZA editor @SiqokoST struck a #Gordhan type of deal with former KZN Hawks boss Johan Booysen to help clean & save him from the law. As with #RogueUnit, he retracted factual #CatorManor stories & issued a frivolous apology to undermine @IamMzilikazi & a police case. pic.twitter.com/bGLtepSjl1

— Mr Putin (@mahasharampedi) July 7, 2019

14 Driven by his ulterior motive,
@SiqokoST, who had nothing to with #CatorManor stories, refused to publish former editor Ray Hartey's record-setting
opinion piece. He also refused to publish a letter penned by researcher Mary de Haas, who confirmed the death squad existed. pic.twitter.com/21dHHygZ4r

— Mr Putin (@mahasharampedi) July 7, 2019

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