Lindiwe Sisulu demands action from police over social media defamation case

FORMER minister Lindiwe Sisulu has expressed dissatisfaction with the performance of the police, who she alleged were dragging their feet in arresting social media activist Goolam Muhammed Suliman Wawda for publicly tarnishing her name through spreading misinformation. 

The former Intelligence minister on Friday said that she would not give up the fight to see Wawda, whose X handle was believed to be @Goolammv, behind bars.

Despite opening a case against Wawda at Roodepoort Police Station on July 21, 2024, Sisulu has not received any joy in the police effort to bring him to book. 

“I have visited the police to inquire about their progress and am not satisfied with their efforts,” she said. 

Sisulu said she would fight for her rights to justice by ensuring the police do their job in bringing Wawda to book. 

“I am not going to withdraw the case because it might not solve my problem of having my name tarnished, but this would make sure that people who peddle misinformation understand that there are consequences,” she said.

Gauteng police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Mavela Masondo did not respond to a request to provide an update on the case.  

It is believed that the police have been unable to locate Wawda as he has left the country, evading the law. 

“During the time that I had a meeting with the people he had targeted, we were told that he was out of the country.

“It is a strategy that he employs all the time, but he cannot be out of the country every time that he is in the headline news,” said Sisulu.

She said opening a criminal case was part of the process of laying a lawsuit against Wawda. 

“As soon as I decided to open a case against him, I got in touch with my lawyers. 

“That is the step that we took. We went to the police station to lay the charge and further steps would be taken by my legal team when they think that it is appropriate for them to do that.” 

She said South Africa has human rights laws that protect individuals, “so that nobody takes anybody for granted”.

“What he did was tarnish my name and integrity, which I have worked hard to preserve.

“Goolam has labelled me as corrupt and part of state capture even though I am one of the few ministers to have left their post honourably,” said Sisulu.

In his post on X, @Goolammv tweeted: “Because an owner of a media house and another person that I have rightly called out have put a total of R3 million on my head, I have safely left the country. Will reach my final destination country tomorrow, which I will call home for a while. I will then continue doing what I was doing. We will go back. Stronger than ever. The Government of National Unity will take care of them.”

 “‘If you are pro corruption, pro state capture and prefer South Africa collapsing, you will support Zweli Mkhize, Nkosazana Zuma and Lindiwe Sisulu’,” Goolam said of Sisulu.

“One of the first things Zweli Mkhize, NDZ, or Lindiwe Sisulu will do if they become president is to disband the Investigating Directorate (ID),” Goolam had tweeted. 

“Their only aim and objective is to stop the fight against corruption. President Ramaphosa must be fully protected and supported #Renew22,” read Goolam’s X post.

Sisulu had campaigned to contest the ANC presidency during the 55th National Conference in 2022 but withdrew. 

During that campaign, Goolam wrote: “If Lindiwe Sisulu wins ANC elections in December, she will release all jailed for corruption, she will stop all corruption investigations, SA will become a haven for corruption. South Africans must fully support Cyril Ramaphosa against these people.”

Sisulu said: “I have suffered arrests, detention without trials and exile fighting for our constitutional democracy. I am a trained soldier of our liberation struggle, having formally received military training and trained as an intelligence officer in the ANC.

“My training was to engage a system that dehumanised and brutalised South Africans. I am a patriot and would not likely wish to see anyone arrested and charged for expressing their views about me.”

bongani.hans@inl.co.za