SANEF Condemns Attempted Bribe to Journalist by Suspended IDT CEO

• Condemnation of Bribery Attempt by SANEF: The South African National Editors’ Forum (SANEF) strongly condemned an alleged attempt to bribe investigative journalist Pieter-Louis Myburgh by IDT’s suspended CEO, emphasizing that such conduct threatens media credibility.
• Details of the Bribery Allegation: Malaka allegedly offered R60,000 to Myburgh to drop an investigation in exchange for recommending contractors for lucrative contracts, with Makgolane providing a ‘sweetener’ to influence his decisions.
• SANEF’s Call for Action: SANEF urged individuals aware of similar bribery attempts to report these incidents to both SANEF and the South African Police Service to uphold journalistic integrity.
• Context of Malaka’s Suspension: Malaka’s suspension followed an internal forensic probe into her failure to address warning signs in a R836 million oxygen plant tender, highlighting ongoing issues within IDT.

The South African National Editors’ Forum (SANEF) has strongly condemned an alleged attempt to bribe Daily Maverick investigative journalist Pieter-Louis Myburgh by the suspended CEO of the Independent Development Trust (IDT), Tebogo Malaka, and her spokesperson Phasha Makgolane.

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According to reports, Malaka allegedly offered Myburgh R60,000 upfront to drop his investigation into a questionable IDT procurement and one of her upscale properties. The bribe proposition reportedly included a “sweetener” from Makgolane—offering Myburgh an opportunity to recommend contractors for lucrative contracts in exchange for a kickback.

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SANEF characterized the incident as “a grave threat to the credibility of the news media in South Africa” and stressed that such conduct is utterly intolerable. The forum urged any individuals with knowledge of similar bribery attempts to come forward and report the matter to both SANEF and the South African Police Service (SAPS).

This event follows an IDT internal forensic probe finding Malaka failed to address warning signs in a R836 million oxygen plant tender, leading to her suspension.

SANEF also noted the irony of the apparent comfort with which the bribery was arranged—suggesting it may not be an isolated occurrence—and reaffirmed its commitment to protecting press freedom and ethical journalism.