Our commitment to the truth is absolute
THE Sunday Times is known for its ethical, award-winning and uncompromising investigative reporting that exposes wrongdoing and holds those exercising power to account. It also gives a voice to the powerless.
Our recent reports on the controversies at the South African Revenue Service are a result of such investigative journalism.
Complaints have since been lodged with the press ombudsman regarding these stories, and the hearing this week has triggered much public debate. Some of the comments, however, sought to question the professionalism of our editorial staff, our integrity and our conduct.
Before we address these issues, we would like to reaffirm our belief in the press ombudsman’s authority and processes. Therefore we are unable to comment on or respond to the substantive issues raised publicly or at the hearing, pending the outcome of this and any subsequent appeal processes.
However, we want to reassure you, our readers, and the public at large, that we adhere to and practise the highest standards of ethical and principled journalism. Our reports are a product of these values, and our credibility is based on them.
We have always been bound by a code of ethics and acted within the law, and have respected public expectations. We have been conscious of and responsive to concerns or complaints regarding anything that appears in this paper as part of our public accountability system.
We account to the public through forums such as the press ombudsman and the courts.
Investigative journalism requires the boldness to take on the powerful and the well connected. As a result, there will always be risks, protests, fight-backs, complaints, legal challenges and pressures of various kinds, including political.
Such boldness and its potential consequences demand scrupulous accuracy, professionalism, transparency and accountability, and a rigorous verification system.
Our journalists, editors and other editorial staff are expected to — and have — operated within these ethical, legal, institutional and professional bounds. All these form part of our values, ethos and our social contract with our readers.
We will continue to fearlessly discharge our investigative reporting role as part of our primary responsibility to give expression to the public’s right to know in an open society. And in carrying out this duty, we are aware of the enormous responsibility it entails.
We have never abused your trust, and never will. We will never forget that we derive our mandate and legitimacy from this public trust. It is required of us that we exercise our power, mandate and duty with the utmost care — ethically and responsibly, holding ourselves to the same standards we expect of others.
We constantly remind ourselves that our conduct must never be motivated or influenced by anything other than the public interest. Society’s ethical standards and our professional obligations guide our judgment and actions.
Therefore, any insinuation that we have been swayed by anything other than the public interest is baseless; likewise, accusations that we have pursued political, factional or other inappropriate agendas in our reports on SARS are without foundation.
As a South African institution, we will never betray your trust.