M&G wants Oilgate report overturned

On Wednesday, the Mail & Guardian filed a court challenge to Public Protector Lawrence Mushwana’s findings on the Oilgate scandal, seeking to have his report overturned and redone.

Last July, Mushwana released the report that avoided probing parts of the scandal, but exonerated government and the parastatals involved.

M&G editor Ferial Haffajee said: “Mushwana tried to bury important allegations unearthed by the M&G, and he smeared us in the process. A newspaper is built on little other than its credibility and reputation—Mushwana willfully sought to damage ours.

It is unusual for a newspaper to enter activist territory and legally challenge someone with whom we disagree, but we felt this is necessary to protect our own credibility and the public’s right to know.

“The public is entitled to unbiased and diligent action by an institution as crucial to democracy as the public protector. His Oilgate investigation and report failed on both counts.”

Mushwana’s investigation followed a series of exposÃ