Vawda 'still a person of interest'

GAUTENG police say they are continuing to investigate the social media abuse case opened by former Cabinet minister Lindiwe Sisulu against activist Goolam Vawda, as Vawda finds himself in a spat with the Sunday World newspaper over a “reneged contract”.

- MANYANE MANYANE

Sisulu laid a criminal complaint on July 21, 2024 at the Roodepoort police station, accusing Vawda of cyber-bullying, hate speech, and publishing defamatory content targeting her and others via social media.

But a year later, there have been no reported arrests or developments, despite the fact that Vawda has posted on X that he had signed a binding sales agency agreement with Fundudzi Media (Sunday World).

Vawda claims that he had a six-month contract with the newspaper, which was recently bought by new owners, which include broadcast journalist John Bailey, but that the newspaper had dumped him while he had expended considerable personal expenses.

Sunday World’s acting editor Ngwako Malatji, when asked about the agreement between Fundudzi Media and Vawda, said he did not know anything about the agreement, adding that he was shocked like everyone else when he heard about the deal via X.

Vawda claimed on X that he had been negotiating with Sunday World for some time.

Malatji said the new owner, Bailey, should be the one responding to the questions, describing them as “above his pay grade as an employee”.

Efforts to get comments from the new owners were unsuccessful.