The MTT report - a deliberate trial through the court of public opinion
15 May 2016
SADTU has noted that once again the Minesterial Task Team on the “cash for jobs scandal” has been leaked to the media even before the process has been completed. This is despite the fact that the Unions and other stakeholders were given a coded report for tracking purposes and it was made clear that it was not meant for public consumption until all the procedural steps had been undertaken (see City Press report).
We are thus calling upon the Minister to explain how and who leaked this report. She must hang her head in shame for misleading not only SADTU but all the other unions in the education sector when she undertook to delay the release of the report by two weeks in order to accommodate inputs from the union and yet, the report in now screaming headlines in the media.
It is extremely disappointing to note the leaking the report has adversely affected its credibility.
However, we are not at all surprised by the leak of report. The journalist to whom the report was leaked is the same one who was told by a senior official of the Department of Basic Education that the final report will not change. It is the same journalist who had unlimited access to the MTT investigation throughout the entire investigation and was the first to receive the interim report. It is significant that no other newspaper has had the benefit of these leaks other than the City Press Newspaper.