Suspended uMkhonto we Sizwe Military Veterans Association spokesperson Carl Niehaus has called for more action to be taken against journalist Karyn Maughan, and hurled insults at her on social media.
Niehaus took to social media on Friday, commenting on an article that she shared on Twitter.
“Suspended Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane tried to compare herself to a victim of domestic violence in her efforts to further delay the parliamentary investigation into her fitness to hold office – but the inquiry’s chairperson didn’t buy it,” she tweeted.
Attacks
This sent Niehaus off the rails.
“Eish Karyn Maughan, you are at it again? You haven’t learnt your lesson yet? You are a slow learner. We must keep on kicking this dog harder, so that her owner who pays her comes out”, Niehaus tweeted.
Niehaus’ comment drew a reaction from one Twitter user, Faith.
“You are the craven dog getting handouts from your corrupt handlers. Their time is coming.”
“I have no owner, not paymaster. I am my own person. Look as hard as you can, you will find none,” rebutted Niehaus.
GBV Summit
Niehaus’ insults come hot on the heels of the second Presidential Summit on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF), which took place in Midrand earlier this week.
During the summit, President Cyril Ramaphosa said there had been a 52% increase in the murder of women and a 46% increase in the murder of children between the first quarter of 2021 and the first quarter of 2022.
ALSO READ: Carl Niehaus pays lobola for Noluthando Mdluli
“These barbaric acts are a shameful indictment on the men of SA. It is not women who are responsible for ending such crimes. It is men who are responsible.”
“[Men] they must take responsibility. They are the ones who must act,” Ramaphosa said.
Women journalists
The Unesco report on the Safety of Journalists and the Danger of Impunity also shared the scourge of attacks on women journalists, saying there was an increase in the number that were killed
“In 2021, the percentage of women among all journalists killed almost doubled, rising to 11% from 6% the previous year.
“Available data as of 30 September 2022 shows that again 11% of killings so far have been women journalists,” the report read.
Maughan vs Zuma
Maughan has been in spotlight recently during her ongoing legal battle against former President Jacob Zuma.
Zuma has accused Maughan and state prosecutor Billy Downer of allegedly breaching the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) Act for the alleged leak of his private medical records.
Maughan’s application challenging former president Jacob Zuma’s private prosecution has been adjourned until December.
Zuma said Maughan’s application represented one of the “a stillborn attempt to prevent the inevitable”.
Additional reporting by Cheryl Kahla
ALSO READ: GBVF Summit: ‘SA men responsible for ending barbaric acts’ – Ramaphosa
