By Gillian Schutte
The recent Daily Maverick article by Marianne Thamm, “Exposed — Iqbal Survé and Lindiwe Sisulu’s ‘unmasking’ event goes down like a lead balloon,” is another glaring example of the mainstream media’s playground tactics to discredit voices challenging the neoliberal status quo. This piece is not just an attack on Independent Media, it is also an example of how entrenched media interests collude to maintain their hegemony.
Thamm’s article reads more like a gossip column than serious journalism. The tone is condescending and laced with unnecessary mockery, undermining the gravity of the issues at hand. Instead of engaging with the substantive concerns raised by independent media, Thamm resorts to cheap shots and ridicule, a tactic unbecoming of any publication that claims to “defend truth.”
Independent Media’s attempt to reveal the identities behind the X account @Goolammv was a bold move to address the unchecked power of anonymous social media accounts that can shape public discourse without accountability. Whether one agrees with their approach or not, the intent to foster transparency in the digital age is laudable. Daily Maverick’s dismissal of this effort as a mere circus act reveals its own vested interest in maintaining a narrative that suits its agenda.
Thamm’s snotty assertion that readers who follow “legit news sites” missed out on the exposé is ironic, given Daily Maverick’s history of cheap sensationalism. The publication has often indulged in self-righteous moralising while ignoring its own lapses in journalistic integrity. The infamous “decuplets” story by Piet Rampedi, which Thamm gleefully references, may have left people with more questions than answers, but Independent Media’s missteps, if any, do not absolve Daily Maverick of their own errors and biases.
From a leftist perspective, Independent Media represents a critical counterweight to the neoliberal narratives perpetuated by the likes of Daily Maverick. Iqbal Survé and Lindiwe Sisulu’s initiative, may have been flawed, but more importantly, it highlights the need to scrutinise those who wield power behind anonymous facades. It calls for a broader conversation about media accountability and the role of social media in shaping political landscapes.
Independent Media has been a thorn in the side of the elite precisely because it dares to challenge the neoliberal orthodoxy. It amplifies voices and perspectives often marginalised by mainstream outlets. Thamm’s derisive tone and dismissive attitude towards Independent Media’s efforts reveal a deeper discomfort with any challenge to the established order.
Rather than engaging in mudslinging, Daily Maverick and Thamm could have welcomed the opportunity for constructive critique. The media landscape is a better space when diverse voices and perspectives are allowed to flourish. It is through rigorous debate and accountability, not juvenile mockery, that journalism can truly serve the public interest.
As it is, Thamm’s track record speaks volumes about her sometimes clickbait approach to the profession. Her foray into what many have named “tabloid trash journalism,” is exemplified by her infamous article where she rummaged through the EFF’s trash, a cringeworthy misfire that did little to uphold the standards of investigative reporting.
Additionally, her attempts to rubbish me by suggesting that I exposed Judge Mabel Jansen on behalf of Julius Malema to save him from the tax fraud case presided over by Jansen, despite the fact that Mabel exposed herself on my Facebook page in public, reflect her willingness to distort facts for a sensational story. My year-long advocacy, which was finally picked up by Black Twitter out of my control, was maliciously twisted by Thamm to fit her narrative. In her hodge-podge attempt at a whodunnit piece she never bothered to send me questions.
I have also observed numerous posts on X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook where Thamm insinuates that I had the power to orchestrate a police cover-up regarding Odwa Shweni’s death. Thamm tirelessly collaborated with other detractors, in full view of the public, to frame this tragedy as a case against me and my partner. When our side of the story was finally presented, Thamm and her co-conspirators from various liberal newspapers and film organisations showed no interest in pursuing the actual perpetrator. They paid no regard to the possibility that my teenage son, who died by suicide in 2019, was exposed to the vitriol directed against his parents.
This personal experience with Thamm illustrates what I can only interpret as her modus operandi: targeting leftists at the behest of her publication’s backers, descending to moral depths that far surpass the infamous “decuplets” story she so readily wields in the grotesque playground of social engineering that is the Daily Maverick.
The publication’s relentless derision against Sisulu, marked by mocking and scorn, further underscores its agenda to silence dissenting voices. Sisulu, regardless of one’s opinion about her politics, has been subjected to a barrage of ridicule that transcends journalistic critique and borders on character assassination. This approach not only further discredits the publication but also reveals a marked bias against those who dare to challenge the status quo.
It seems that Sisulu’s critics have strategically misconstrued the context of her statement that they “bugged everyone”, which, in my view, highlighted the fact that during her tenure as Minister of Intelligence, surveillance information was never publicly disclosed. She makes this obvious with the rest of her sentence, which her detractors have conveniently ignored. It was a statement made to illustrate the contrast with today’s intelligence environment, where such data is often leaked to anonymous social media accounts and used in smear campaigns.
Her comment was meant to underscore an ethical approach to intelligence gathering, emphasising discretion and respect for privacy, rather than a boast about pervasive surveillance. But as usual, the importance of her context has been deliberately overlooked by her adversaries who aim to distort her words to fit their narratives. Obscuring the true intent behind her remarks is a deliberate attempt to criminalise and shame her.
As leftists, we must defend the spirit of independent journalism that seeks to expose the truth, hold power to account, and amplify marginalised voices. While Independent Media may not always be perfect, their commitment to challenging the status quo is indispensable. It is Daily Maverick’s petty playground antics that do a disservice to the noble profession of journalism and to the public they claim to serve.
The true lead balloon plummeting here, it seems, is none other than Thamm herself. Once a respected journalist and self-styled progressive, she now appears to have sacrificed her principles to revel in the comforts of being a weaponised scribe in the corporate crusade against leftist ideals.