Journalists Oliver Meth and Piet Rampedi’s social media beef has taken on an official turn involving their mutual employer IOL.
Meth announced on Twitter on Monday that he has filed a formal complaint with IOL against Rampedi for “lies peddled against me.”
I’ve since lodged a formal complaint against my colleague @pietrampedi, with our @IOL employer under the company’s grievances procedure, in relation to #CR17BankStatements lies peddled about me.
Oliver Meth
Their dispute relates to revelations from leaked bank records that Meth received funds from the CR17 campaign.
Media consultant for CR17
On Saturday, Meth confirmed that he had worked as a media consultant for the CR17 campaign.
He further explained that he was not a practising journalist during the time he worked for CR17 campaign.
In addition, he said he has always disclosed in his bylines for opinion articles that he had consulted for CR17.
I was not a practising journalist at a time, but a full time postgraduate student that took on various consultancy work. These attacked and allegations are unfounded.
Oliver Meth
‘Blurred the lines’
Rampedi had earlier posted several screenshots of Meth’s tweets related to the campaign as proof that he had “blurred the lines” of journalism and CR17 paid work.
Rampedi remains unfazed by Meth’s formal complaint against him.
In a reply to Meth’s tweet, he doubled down on his claims that Meth never disclosed his paid consultancy for CR17.
I’m ashamed to know you’re my colleague @oliver_meth. I had no idea. But that makes it even worse, because you brought me into disrepute in addition to your very employers, by doubling as a paid “consultant” for a #CR17leaks political campaign, without declaring to the public.
Piet Rampedi
Meth’s disclosure
Nevertheless, some Twitter users shared screenshots of Meth’s disclosure in one of the opinion pieces he wrote on Daily Maverick.
IOL has not yet commented on the dispute between the two journalists.