A disgrace to journalism

We owe gratitude not only for the fact of freedom; not only for helping to define the content of that freedom - but also for laying the foundation of South Africa's best tradition of journalists. Some of our modern journalists cannot claim or even pretend to be worthy heirs to their toil and worthy claimants to their mantle. Sadly we have to contend with a curse of our modern day journalists who only focus on the final product; however unscrupulous in achieving it. Journalism has become a race for “the exclusive” and moral principles which are the core mantra have become insulting, irrelevant and downright vitriolic. An example of this abusive pen is the Public Protector’s fiasco. She has been painted as a corrupt fraudster relating to R1.8 million believed to have been paid to her company while she was working full-time for the South African Law Reform Commission. At a recent briefing, Madonsela said the report was baseless, malicious and designed to scupper her investigation of the R1.1 billion deal to lease a Durban building owned by businessman Roux Shabangu. Funny how these reports surfaced on the same day that they (ANC) thought she (Madonsela) was going to release a report on the SAPS building lease probe, However, the Star newspaper has a different agenda. But then again, who am I to talk – My lip could constitute my death...