[imagesource: Twitter / Piet Rampedi]

You take a day or two off from paying attention to the Tembisa 10 story, and when you check back in, things have really spiralled.

Truth be told, if you are forced to read the news, like we are, there’s been no escaping the constant twists and turns with this one. Over the past 24 hours, though, it’s all become a little dark.

Over at IOL, Piet Rampedi and Iqbal Survé are digging in their heels (and digging a deeper hole), accusing the Gauteng Department of Health of some huge cover-up.

Wednesday night saw another statement saying they stand by their reporting (the word is used very loosely), and last night IOL reported that Gosiame Thamara Sithole has yesterday asked for an “urgent court interdict on Thursday to force the Gauteng Department of Social Development to release her”:

Gosiame Sithole was detained at a police station for most of the day, before she was taken to Tembisa Hospital in Ekurhuleni for psychological evaluation, against her wishes.

Earlier in the day, her lawyer Refiloe Mokoena indicated that Sithole was picked up from a relative’s place at Rabie Ridge, in Midrand.

She was taken to the police station at Chloorkop in connection with the missing person inquiry opened by the family of her partner, Teboho Tsotetsi, last Thursday.

Mokoena says that Sithole is being held against her will, with authorities intending to hold her for 72 hours.

Here’s Mokoena being interviewed yesterday:

Gosiame #Sithole‘s lawyer, Refiloe Mokoena, says the @gpgSocDev
forced the decuplets mother to go for psychological assessment despite her telling them she was of a sound mind, and able to make independent decisions. Hence she’s taking legal action to secure Sithole’s release. pic.twitter.com/SFL5OXgai4

— Pretoria News (@pretorianews) June 17, 2021

As I said, this has really spiralled into dark territory.

According to IOL, the whereabouts of her newborn babies and their state of health remain unknown.

Let’s not forget that the father of the decuplets, Teboho Tsotetsi (IOL originally reported his name as Tebogo), issued a statement earlier this week saying his family has “resolved and concluded that there are no decuplets born”.

He is currently married to another woman, Sibongile Gxekwa, with whom he has three children. She accuses him of failing to financially support her at all.

More from News24:

When approached for comment, the social development department’s spokesperson, Lumka Oliphant, said: “We are appealing to the media to give us space to finish the work of government. When this work has been completed, we will talk to the country.”

So we are met with silence from government officials on one side, and a reporter (Rampedi) and media house (IOL and Survé) churning out huge allegations, whilst vigorously defending what was clearly insufficient fact-checking on the other side.

A total, total mess.

[sources:iol&news24]