Independent Media and IOL
Image: IOL / Independent Media
IOL and Independent Media on Wednesday provided an update on the ongoing investigation into the @Goolammv X (formerly Twitter) account, revealing significant findings and addressing previous errors in the investigation.
Adri Senekal De Wet, Editor-in-Chief of Independent Media, stated: “On Monday we held a media conference aimed at exposing commentators who are actively engaged in subverting South Africa’s democracy by disallowing media freedom in the country, preventing alternative opinion from being heard and stifling freedom of speech. We revealed a sock puppet operated by an individual connected to high-profile politicians and senior government officials.
“Our Group is one of the victims of this account and has been the target of an orchestrated disinformation and misinformation campaign, designed to undermine it and to prevent it from publishing the truth on matters relating to the government and even organised crime.”
De Wet further elaborated: “We can now confirm the following facts:
“We also discovered Vawda’s connections to Ismail Abramjee, who, according to the Laudium Sun, maintains a deep network that traces back to the apartheid era and PW Botha,” De Wet said.
Viasen Soobramoney, Chief Executive Officer of the IOL platform, addressed an earlier mistake in the investigation that was presented on Monday.
“Initially, our investigations identified two individuals linked to the @Goolammv X account, both named Mohammed Vawda. However, during the press conference, a technical error occurred in that the wrong profile was shared with our content teams and the public.
“This error resulted in the inadvertent and incorrect identification of a UKZN lecturer and comedian as the person behind the account. For this, we unreservedly apologise to Mohamed Yacoob Vawda, his family and friends, our fellow reporters, and to the South African public.”
“For this, we unreservedly apologise to Mohamed Yacoob Vawda, his family and friends, our fellow reporters, and to the South African public.”
Soobramoney continued: “As Chief Executive Officer of the IOL platform, I will be taking concrete steps to ensure that such an oversight does not occur again. Both IOL and Independent Media deeply regret the error.
“As responsible media outlets, we have taken the necessary steps to correct the information that was published. We have also attempted to reach out to Mohamed Yacoob Vawda, the university lecturer and comedian, to convey a personal apology to him.
“However,” continued Soobramoney, “because of our findings and further investigation, we can reveal the following:
“We have subsequently instructed our attorneys to go ahead with legal proceedings against Goolam Mohammed Sulieman Vawda,” said Soobramoney.
Goolam Mohammed Vawda
Image: Supplied
In conclusion, De Wet emphasised: “We do this in the interests of democracy and to expose the vast network of misinformation pedlars and their handlers. We do this in defence of the South African public.
“@Goolammv is Mohamed Vawda, specifically Goolam Mohammed Sulieman Vawda. He has been criminally accused on several occasions with charges mysteriously being withdrawn.
“He has a colourful lifestyle funded by a network of powerful individuals. Goolam Mohammed Sulieman Vawda should be charged under the Cybercrimes Act, and we call on the relevant authorities to arrest him.”
Independent Media and IOL