The article entitled “Ndebele, Letsoalo threaten drivers while they rack up fines”, which appeared in the City Press on Sunday, 8 January 2012, refers.
The silver BMW 5-series, as mentioned in the City Press story, was sold to a motor vehicle dealership during 2010. Accordingly, since June 2010, Transport Minister, Sibusiso Ndebele has not been the legal owner of the vehicle which City Press, only now in 2012, alleges has run up a raft of traffic fines.
“Media reports on this matter are false, malicious, misleading, sensational, and are intended to cast aspersions on my integrity as well as insinuate that I am not fit and proper to hold office as Minister of Transport.
Such reports rubbish and trivialise a very serious government campaign to ensure safer roads when more than a thousand lives were lost this past December (2012) alone, distracting public attention from the real issue: unlawful driving and road carnage.
We are taking action against those responsible for the defamatory and false allegations which have been published, including against officials who leaked information when no crime was committed as well as the newspapers concerned, and will do the same in respect of any other media which communicate false allegations.
We wish to reiterate that South Africa is a constitutional democracy based on the rule of law. No person is above the law. During 2012, road safety will be intensified without fear or favour. Any person, including the Minister of Transport, who commits any traffic violation will face the consequences of their actions,” said Minister Ndebele.
Enquiries:
Logan Maistry
Cell: 083 644 4050
