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16 Jul 2012

The article in the City Press dated July 15 2012 titled Limpopo’s Meltdown is misleading. The Limpopo provincial government took a decision not to participate in the merry-go-round of finger-pointing and self-justification encouraged mainly by the misleading reporting in the media. However, the article referred to above dictates otherwise.

The article in question is a classic example of screaming headline which at best deceives the newspapers’ readership and at worst does not adequately correspond with its story. A logical thing to do would be not to dignify it with a response but City Press needs to be advised to refrain from sounding like a broken record. It has since 2009 produced more ghastly rumours about Limpopo to the propaganda mill than any other newspaper in the country.

What is at issue is the fact that both the national and provincial government are working together to strengthen areas that need attention in Limpopo. A point that has been concisely captured by what is supposedly Mr Monde Tom’s reply in the article in question which says: “...all the departments under administration were now in the recovery phase”. This assertion reiterates what both the National and Limpopo Provincial Treasury stated early this year when they jointly delivered the Limpopo provincial budget speech.

It is shameful that since 2009, the City Press has embarked on a campaign to taint Limpopo. It has produced a disproportionate series of articles that at times contravene the Press Code in its dishonourable quest. The fact that the Limpopo provincial government was not even given a chance to respond to the allegations contained in the latest article is a case in point. It will be appreciated if City Press can maintain good journalistic ethics and be objective in its reporting at all times.

The Limpopo provincial government is on record calling on those who have evidence of crime and corruption against anyone in the province to make it available to the law enforcement agencies. It will be prudent to arrest corrupt elements wherever they exist rather than using the media to campaign for their arrest without any concrete results.

Enquiries:
Tebatso Mabitsela
Head of Limpopo Government Communication
Cell: 072 263 0563

Issued by: Limpopo Provincial Government
16 Jul 2012

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