Mohamed Ameen Dabhelia – 2018/04/18

A controversial journalist has once again come under the spotlight, this time labelling Lenasia and Fordsburg the breeding ground of terrorism.

De Wet Potgieter published an article entitled “Al-Qaeda: Alive and well in South Africa” dated 13 May 2013, which was posted on the Daily Maverick website.

The article suggested “links and that there is a strong Al-Qaeeda presence in South Africa, however the Daily Maverick retracted it and unequivocally and unconditionally apologised to the individuals mentioned in the article and the Muslim community of South Africa.”

Despite this, in one of his latest publications – entitled, “Islamic radicals target SA schoolchildren” dated 13 April 2018, in the Lowveld newspaper.

Potgieter claims that an operative, whose name is known to them, alleges there is a local Pakistani organisation in South Africa “covertly operating under the name Sipah-e-Sahaba, a radical organisation regarded in Pakistan as a Sunni supremacist group at war with the minority Shia Muslim grouping in the country.”

The article continues, “The organisation established a madrassa (religious school) in Lenasia, Johannesburg, converted it into a religious school to recruit black children to be taught to become Muslims. They teach the children in Urdu and when they reach the age of 15 or 16 years they send them to Pakistan for paramilitary training.”

Vice Chairperson of the Muslim Lawyers Association Yousha Tayob told Radio Islam that Potgieter can be identified as having an ‘agenda’.

“Previously the stories had no merit. Its early days – yes, but when one reads the article, one really doesn’t pick up the evidence which serious journalism can produce in the event that the evidence exists.”

Tayob says the article is mere speculation.

“Once I get hold of the complainants in the matter, we ought to be looking at some sort of interdict against him on this topic.”

Spokesperson for Cage Africa Tahera Jayes says the implication of madrassah’s is particularly problematic.

“Have an impact on young people and families and women as well, the mothers who take their children to madrassah, this all has a huge and painful impact on them.”

Jayes says before levelling the accusations, one has to substantiate it by naming the people or at least by being particularly specific about the sources of information.

Tayob says the article has absolutely no substance.

“The agenda is now set and it seems as if we just got to put out these fires if and when it happens. For me, a long term interdict is the solution.”

Jayes adds that it is unethical of Potgieter to run a story of this nature without naming his sources.

“From a media point of view, without naming the source, checking up on the source and also balancing the story with a counter point of view is unprofessional, the implications that this story can have is huge.”

She says that it would be interesting to look in to Potgieters sources of information and connections.

“What kind of organisations he’s connected to, who is feeding him this information and what their agenda is.”

Listen to the full interview below: