Tembisa 10
The "Tembisa 10" was a South African journalistic hoax that claimed the births of 10 babies in a single pregnancy by a 37-year-old Gauteng woman named Gosiame Thamara Sithole. It was published by the Pretoria News on 8 June 2021 and attracted a lot of media attentions with its claim of the births breaking the Guinness World Record.[1] [2] The babies were found to be non-existent afterwards by officials[3] [4] and the article declared a 'hoax'[5]
| Author | Piet Rampedi |
|---|---|
| Subject | A 37-year-old woman from Tembisa gives birth to 10 babies in one pregnancy |
| Publisher | Pretoria News |
Publication date |
|
| Publication place | South Africa |
| Media type | Newspaper article |
The article was seen as a journalistic gaffe by the South African general public and as a "phantom illegal scam-piece not worthy of publication" by senior journalists; and that Rampedi as an editor of the Pretoria News was "reckless" in writing and publishing the story.[6] He was ordered to apologise by an internal Independent Media panelist of experts probing the public backlash and berated for eroding the public's trust in the media.[7]
Since its publication on 8 June 2021, Rampedi and Independent Media owner Iqbal Survé publicly maintained and defended the truth of the story. The owner falsely stated at a Cape Town press briefing in October 2021 that the babies had now disappeared after being trafficked by a syndicate of politicians, government leaders and hospital officials; and promised to do further investigations and published a 10-series investigative documentary showing how.[8]
In December 2022, Public Protector Kholeka Gcaleka found the story to be false.[9]
References
[edit ]- ^ Rampedi, Piet: Exclusive - Gauteng woman gives birth to 10 children, breaks Guinness World Record, Pretoria News. Retrieved 13 January 2025
- ^ Baby blues: Ten verifiable facts on the Tembisa 10 don't make it true, Daily Maverick, 6 June 2021. Retrieved 13 January 2025
- ^ South African 10 babies story not true, inquiry finds, BBC. Retrieved 13 January 2025
- ^ Has a Gauteng woman given birth to 10 kids? Government says it can't find verification after media reports, News24, 8 June 2022. Retrieved 13 January 2025
- ^ Tembisa 10: Independent Media's internal ombudsman brands story as hoax, demands apology, News24. Retrieved 13 January 2025
- ^ Reckless to publish Tembisa 10 story - advocate, News24, 27 October 2021. Retrieved 25 February 2025
- ^ Revealed: Independent Media internal report on Piet Rampedi decuplets story found to be hoax, Daily Maverick, 29 October 2021. Retrieved 15 February 2025
- ^ Tembisa 10 reveals decuplets were trafficked, IOL. Retrieved 15 February 2025
- ^ Tembisa 10: Public Protector finds claims mom gave birth to decuplets 'unsubstantiated, News24, 31 December 2022. Retrieved 15 February 2025
External links
[edit ]- READ: Full Tembisa decuplets investigation report: Public Protector, Politcsweb, January 3, 2023
- MEDIA STATEMENT: Piet Rampedi reacts to Public Protector's findings, Independent Online, January 5, 2023
- ANALYSIS: False story about decuplets was a low point for journalism: Here's how to fix it, The Conversation, July 2, 2021
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