[imagesource:here]

I know, I know.

Everyone is tired of this truly draining saga, and it is genuinely ridiculous that more than two weeks after claims were made about the birth of decuplets, we still have a game of back and forth.

In one corner, we have the Gauteng government, which announced earlier in the week that it was planning to sue Piet Rampedi (above) and Independent Media, amidst claims of a government cover-up to hide medical negligence.

The statement issued went as far as to say that “it has now been established by medical practitioners that Ms Sithole did not give birth to any babies in recent times. It has also been established that she was not pregnant in recent times.”

So no babies at all, she wasn’t even pregnant, didn’t happen.

After taking a few days off from addressing the issue on social media, and still fighting on in the other corner, despite being bloody and bruised, is Rampedi.

He hit back yesterday evening:

I stand by my Tembisa decuplets story, will vigorously defend any litigation, and challenge ministers and MECs to deny Sithole’s delivery under oath. https://t.co/D9qrkVt4RB

— Mr Putin (@pietrampedi) June 24, 2021

Let’s not forget that caught in the middle of all this is Gosiame Thamara Sithole, who doesn’t seem well, and is receiving “medical, psychological and social support” from the Gauteng government.

If we must, let’s take a look at some of what Rampedi said in that IOL story:

I find it odd that multiple government agencies have a targeted campaign against myself and Independent Media when all they simply need to do is confirm the following: Did Ms Sithole attend any state and private sector hospitals to give birth to 10 babies. If so, which hospital, and where are the babies? Can they confirm if all the decuplets are alive, and if not, how many have survived?

Actually, that was your job when first reporting the story, and the Gauteng government has covered all of that in their statement earlier this week.

On we go:

The government appears to be involved in a cloak and dagger operation instead of unveiling the truth. The only question is why?

…I stand by my story. Ms Sithole was pregnant and gave birth to her 10 babies on June 7, 2021. It’s a fact.

He then goes on to claim that he is being targeted because of his past investigations, which have exposed government officials, indicating “a desire to punish and silence me for exposing their scandals”.

Rampedi says the proof is coming, soon, or at some point, throwing in an exclamation mark for added impact:

But no matter what the truth about the woman from Tembisa and her babies will emerge!

…I will also share information that shows that Ms Sithole was pregnant, gave birth and that the South African government may be complicit in hiding and withholding information to serve a political agenda. I won’t be bullied into retracting a true story.

I am essentially being pressured – through orchestrated smear campaigns and abuse of state institutions – to depart from the truth about the decuplets for the sake of avoiding litigation. I won’t. I have never. And never will. I stand by the decuplets story.

If Rampedi has the information showing she was pregnant and gave birth, why not release it now, rather than alluding to it?

It’s certainly believable that the Gauteng government could be guilty of medical negligence. You only need to remember the Life Esidimeni tragedy, where at least 143 people died at psychiatric facilities across the province due to gross neglect, for proof of that.

But a journalist who has been discredited numerous times in the past for his reporting, published by a media house with the same tainted reputation, doesn’t get the benefit of the doubt.

Reveal the proof, Piet, or continue to dig that hole.

Zapiro, with a cartoon on The Daily Maverick, sums it up nicely:

[sources:iol&dailymaverick]