KZN Premier Did Ban Advertising in Sunday Tribune

23 May 2007


The long-standing feud between the Leader of the Official Opposition, Dr Lionel Mtshali, and the Premier, Dr Sibusiso Ndebele, has effectively come to an end.

The IFP has acquired an extraordinary proof of its earlier statement in the KwaZulu Natal Provincial Parliament about the provincial government threatening the Independent Newspapers Group with reprisals for the investigative coverage of mismanagement in the Department of Agriculture by the Sunday Tribune.

The IFP acquired the text message sent on 26 November 2006 from the then Director-General in the Office of the Premier, Professor Mandla Mchunu, to all Heads of Department across the provincial government.

The text of the message was: "The Premier has directed that govt. departments and provincial public entities should not place their adverts and public announcements on the Tribune newspaper. Thanks. DG".

"The text message says it all. It exposes the Premier as the one who misled not only the provincial Parliament but the people of KwaZulu Natal when the story attracted wide-ranging public interest," said Dr Mtshali.

In March 2007 the Leader of the Official Opposition delivered a parliamentary motion praising the courageous journalism of the Sunday Tribune reporters in the face of threats from the provincial government to withdraw government advertising from the newspaper.

The Speaker, in likely contravention of parliamentary rules, created an ad-hoc speaking slot for the Premier who was thus allowed to respond. The Premier famously dismissed the motion as an "outrageous and despicable lie" and a "a pathetic attempt to get cheap publicity".

The IFP originally obtained the information from a source inside the Independent Newspapers Group. "We were determined to protect the identity of the source at all cost. This undoubtedly encouraged the ruling party in Parliament to trigger a disciplinary hearing against me for allegedly misleading the House," said Dr Mtshali.

The IFP is content to conclude, with independent proof, what the party has known all along - that the disciplinary action taken against Dr Mtshali was a scam intended to intimidate the Official Opposition into complacence and inaction.

"The Premier's readiness to pursue falsehood to such great lengths and at such great cost raises the important question whether he has the integrity to lead the province," said Dr Mtshali.

Contact: Dr Lionel Mtshali, 083 256 4902