The Great Betrayal: Pursuit of Wide Readership Versus Facts In The Media Industry

Tapuwa Chitambo, 14/02/2021

Following the publication of an article in the Newsday titled ‘SA democracy and Constitutionalism put under spotlight’ written by Garikai Mafirakurewa, I took it upon myself to establish the basis on which this title was used.

Initially, when I read in the State controlled media publications on the reasons why SMM was placed under Reconstruction, I naturally believed the version whuch was proffered by the government.

This is because it had long been made to appear that funds due to SMM from its customers and which were transmitted through SAS, its South African based agent, were diverted at the instigation of Mr. Mawere using an alleged fraudulent judgment.

Just like many other people, I had concluded that the decision to issue the Reconstruction Order in relation to SMM was legitimate and in order not knowing the real facts on the ground.

I later on came to realize that the existence and operations of the Reconstruction of State Indebted and Insolvent Companies Act posed a grave risk to the rule of law and constitutionalism not only in South Africa where it was recognized and enforced, but to the whole of the Africa continent.

At first, I had no idea that the SMM dispute had been exported to South Africa by the government of Zimbabwe which had disguised itself as SMM, the company with a corporate legal identity and existence.

As such, when I read Garikai’ story in the Newsday, which referred to Mutumwa Mawere as a self-exiled Zimbabwean businessman who had put the South African justice system under spotlight, I was flabbergasted to see that the context of Janice’s letter had been twisted, distorted and had taken a diversionary angle.

This is because I personally read the contents of Janice Greaver’s letter addressed to the Johannesburg based, Deputy Judge President, Mr. Mojapelo on behalf of the C2C Literacy initiative only to discover that the published article’s focus was now on Mutumwa Mawere rather than the rule of law.

Janice’s letter was meant to address the legality and constitutionality of the decision to recognize and enforce the consequences of a law that offends South Africa’s public policy.

Below is a thread of my conversation with Garikai Mafirakurewa in an attempt to address such a media anomaly.

[1/25, 5:30 PM] Tapuwa Chitambo: [08:06, 25/01/2021] Gandanga: Hi Garikai. My name is Tapuwa Chitambo secretary general of FOSMM and a member of the C2C initiative. How was your article on the South African judiciary received? Any possibilities of continuation of this conversations with your paper?

[11:30, 25/01/2021] Garikai Mafirakureva: Hie how are you? I thought we can continue with the story but Mr Mawere is picking on trivial issues which in my view should be corrected between us than going to town over simple issues

 [1/26, 5:33 AM] Tapuwa Chitambo: Is He is the one who coined the self-exiled business man?

 [1/26, 1:25 PM] Tapuwa Chitambo: [06:33, 26/01/2021] Gandanga: Are these issues centered around the title self-exiled business man?

[09:43, 26/01/2021] Garikai Mafirakureva: Yaaa those were the issues and I thought in the next article we will correct such issues and continue with our story until we are heard. But he stuck on that? That story was well received by many readers but he killed the fire to continue with the story.

I believe that the approach that Garikai took in the headline and introduction of following story was more centered on pleasing his audience through using a catchy but misleading title rather than to convey news of public interest in way that enlightens the masses on issues of concern to their circumstances.

“SA democracy and constitutionalism put under spot light

Self-exiled Zimbabwean businessman, Mutumwa Mawere, has put to test the South African judiciary system questioning its sincerity in upholding democracy, the rule of law and constitutionalism without risking major diplomatic implications.

The move if not properly handled will poke holes on South African democracy and expose her hypocrisy and judiciary capture. 

Janice Greaver, C2C corporate literacy initiative management consultant wrote to the justice department, questioning the role played by the court in promoting and protecting the rule of law when Maweres case was handled, and the part it played in undermining the rule of law in relation to corporate matters…”.

It is actually interesting to note that in spite of the following correspondence between Garikai and Mutumwa Mawere to clarify on issues that were not in line with Janice’s letter and after highlighting the error of being self-exiled, the article went on to be published as it was.

This on its own shows that the media or journalists in particular can mislead people and brush aside information which is of value to their communities in an attempt to attract the maximum number of readers.

If such a reality is allowed to continue, it means that the media will no longer be playing its oversight role in the affairs of mankind and that fact on its own is enough evidence on the great betrayal of people’s confidence by the Fourth Estate.

[11:01 AM, 1/20/2021] mdmawere1: My view is that the story involves C2C and Janice. If this is the case, should this not be the starting point to limit the story to the subjects in it?

[11:03 AM, 1/20/2021] mdmawere1: Do you agree that I pursued all legal options in SA and failed in SA to convince the judiciary that recognizing and enforcing the Reconstruction Act in SA was a violation of International Law?

[11:10 AM, 1/20/2021] mdmawere1: On what basis would be the allegation that “SA democracy and constitutionalism is put under the spotlight?” Who do you allege is putting the SA democracy and constitutionalism under the spotlight? You then state as true and fact that I am self-exiled, where did you get this information? I am not in self-exile. For your information, I have been living and working outside Zimbabwe since 1988. I have no received any mail in Zimbabwe since them. I have been a resident of SA since 1988 and I am only naturalized as a citizen in 2002. The events of SMM started in 2004 when I was already a citizen of SA and a resident since 1998. Where does this allegation of self-exile come from? Perhaps you have better facts to support this. You then state that I have put to test the SA judiciary system questioning its sincerity in upholding democracy, the rule of law and constitutionalism without risking diplomatic implications. In saying this, you do not provide any source of this allegation. It would help the reader if you provided the content and context of the allegation. *SA democracy and constitutionalism put under spot light.

[1:22 PM, 1/20/2021] Garikai Mafirakureva: It won’t be of any interest to Zimbabwean readership because they don’t who is Janice and what is C2C but they know SMM and Mawere. Why try to kill a story by focusing on an unknown. To make matters worse SMM and Mawere were cited as a case study.