OWN CORRESPONDENT, Cape Town | Sunday 5.00pm.
PEOPLE Against Gangsterism and Drugs (Pagad) on Sunday criticised two Cape Town newspapers for allegedly printing distorted media reports at the weekend. Advocate Paul Eia said he is “considering options” against Die Burger.
In a statement released on Sunday, the organisation said a report which appeared in Die Burger on Friday headlined, “Explosives With NIA agents Was For Pagad, Court Hears” was a gross misrepresentation and totally inaccurate.
The report concerned the bail applications of Nizaam Shaikh and Yaseen Ajouhaar.
“This is the second time in one week that the Burger has the story wrong regarding matters in court and I am considering my options with regard to the newspaper,” Eia said in the statement.
The organisation also said a Cape Argus headline on Saturday “Bombs: Pagad Did It” falsely gave the impression that members had been convicted. The criticism came at a press briefing after a drug-awareness celebration.
Pagad spokesmen argued that the papers were “sensationalising allegations” and that this kind of campaign had happened before.
The headline followed a report of proceedings in the Wynberg Magistrate’s Court on Friday in which the organisation’s spiritual leader, Moegsien Barendse, applied for bail after arrest for allegedly possessing two pipe bombs.