Editor fears arrest over Manto files

The editor of the Sunday Times and one of its journalists will be
arrested this week to face charges of illegally being in possession of
the minister of Health’s medical records, writes Buddy Naidu in the Sunday Times.

The Act states that it is an offence to gain access to a person’s confidential records. Makhanya and Maker are expected to appear before a magistrate by the end of the week.

One of the country’s top policemen, Director JJ Brand, who is in charge of detectives at more than 145 Western Cape police stations, is in charge of the case.

Brand was ordered by “Pretoria” to give the investigation top priority and it is now the only one he is handling. He has told several people that he is under pressure “from Pretoria” to finalise the matter.

Cape Town lawyer Steve Broekmann, who represents two clients who were questioned by Brand and a colleague for more than three hours on Friday in connection with the case, confirmed that Makhanya and Maker would be hauled off to court.

He said: “They went so far as to ask when Jocelyn Maker would be in Cape Town next so that she could appear in court. They also asked about the editor.”

Broekmann said the investigation was “overly serious over what is a relatively minor offence”.

He said that at a meeting last week Brand had already informed him of the charges.

Since the investigation into the missing records began, several sources, including intelligence and senior government officials, have warned the Sunday Times that Makhanya and Maker’s cellphones, among others, are being tapped.

They also said that operatives around the country were trying to dig up “dirt” on the editor and the journalists involved in the story.

Click here to read the full story, posted on the Sunday Times' website.