Twitter went into a frenzy on Wednesday over allegations made at the Zondo commission of inquiry that Tiso Blackstar group associate editor Ranjeni Munusamy abused the Police Criminal Intelligence Unit “slush fund”.
Testifying at the Zondo Commission into State Capture, Hawks official Kobus Roelofse alleged that the veteran journalist had in 2008 benefited when R143 621.78 from the police spy unit's fund was used to settle her vehicle debt at Wesbank Vehicle Finance. This has led to her being placed on special leave.
The allegations saw many people taking to twitter to attack Munusamy.
EFF deputy president Floyd Shivambu said she was not the only journalist to have benefited.
“And we must still relate to these people as Journalists? Others work for @dailymaverick and are on the payroll of private illegal intelligence services masquerading as Law Firms. All these will be revealed!,” wrote Shivambu.
Umkhonto We Sizwe Military Veterans Association spokesperson Carl Niehaus asked: "How much did you get paid to do your Stratcom lynch jobs on me and other comrades?”
Crypto Guy said: “Ranjeni Munusamy exposed as a cabal member, many more will be exposed soon... Who will be the next one?”
A Twitter user calling himself Mr Putin, who alleged to have been a victim of a smear campaign, questioned what service Munusamy rendered to the crime intelligence in exchange for the payment.
“One by one, most cabal members who tried to smear me for 5 years, to divert attention from their own corrupt journalism, are having their skeletons tumbling out of the closet unprovoked. What service did @RanjeniM render to crime intelligence to earn R150k,” tweeted Mr Putin.
However, Helen Zille seemed to be coming to Munusamy’s defence by claiming that Roelofse’s story has holes in it.
“So, crime intelligence allegedly paid off Ranjeni's car. But in exchange for what? Information? Or to trash people through the stories she wrote? What is the allegation? It is important to know,” tweeted Zille.
It has been reported that Munusamy has denied Roelofse’s allegation and pledged to appear before the commission to clear her name.