- Independent Media (IOL) apologised for misidentifying a UKZN lecturer as the person behind the ‘Goolam’ account.
- The investigation now points to Goolam Mohammed Sulieman Vawda as the real person behind the account.
- IOL outlined steps to prevent future errors and announced legal proceedings against Vawda.
- The Goolam account responded, denying the new allegations.
Independent Media (IOL) apologised for wrongly accusing a UKZN lecturer of being behind the controversial ‘Goolam’ account, revealing new evidence implicating a man named Goolam Mohammed Sulieman Vawda.
IOL admits to wrongfully accusing UKZN lecturer
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During a press conference held earlier this week, Independent Media shared the wrong profile with the public due to a technical oversight.
Editor-in-Chief Adri Senekal De Wet confirmed the error and issued a public apology to Vawda, his family, and the South African public.
IOL CEO Viasen Soobramoney emphasised the gravity of the mistake.
“We unreservedly apologise to Mohammed Yacoob Vawda, his family and friends, our fellow reporters, and to the South African public,” said Soobramoney.
He also promised to implement measures to prevent such errors in the future.
IOL fields a new suspect behind infamous ‘Goolam’ account
Independent Media continued its investigation and identified Goolam Mohammed Sulieman Vawda as the actual individual behind the ‘Goolam’ account.
De Wet presented evidence linking Vawda to the account, including phone numbers and email addresses associated with @Goolammv, as well as properties in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng.
“@Goolammv is Goolam Mohammed Sulieman Vawda. He has a history of switching political allegiances and has been involved in activities harmful to our democratic society,” said De Wet.
The investigation revealed Vawda’s connections to political figures such as former president Jacob Zuma and a sophisticated bot network used to spread disinformation.
Independent Media announced plans to pursue legal action against Vawda, accusing him of criminal activities under the Cybercrimes Act.
“We do this in the interests of democracy and to expose the vast network of misinformation peddlers and their handlers,” said De Wet.
‘Goolam’ reacts to new allegations
The ‘Goolam’ account responded to the new allegations on social media with a dismissive tone.
“Wrong person again… Another apology from IOL loading very soon,” the account tweeted.
This reaction came after IOL’s initial error and subsequent apology, indicating scepticism about the accuracy of Independent Media’s latest findings.