Cape
Town - Former TV and radio sports presenter - and Sport24 columnist - Graeme
Joffe fled South Africa three months ago.
His
story below...
It
is exactly three months to the day that my life changed forever …
Friday,
April 17, 2015 – it was around 22:15.
I
was about to go to sleep in my apartment in Grahamstown – my mobile phone was
on silent but I could hear the ringing vibrations on my bedside table.
There
were three calls in quick succession and something told me I better answer it.
Just
as well I did.
It
was an acquaintance who had hired a private investigator to assist me after my
phone had been illegally tapped and my emails hacked.
I had
opened a criminal case with the SAPS in Sandton in December last year but my
file mysteriously disappeared after one day.
MTN
were also not interested in the fact that my cell-phone was being illegally
tapped.
The
call from the acquaintance was quick, he said: “Graeme, they’re coming to get
you, get to a place of safety, don’t go to any public places, get out of your
apartment. Call me if you need any help.”
I
didn’t have time to think. I packed an overnight bag and drove through the
pouring rain to a friend’s house in Port Alfred.
To
make sure they couldn’t trace my whereabouts, I abandoned my car in a remote
hotel parking lot and removed the sim card and battery from my cell phone.
After
a sleepless night, I went back to my apartment in the morning, escorted by a
friend who was armed, to get a suitcase and my passport.
I
headed for Johannesburg with my heart in my stomach.
After
four more sleepless nights, under cover with armed protection, I decided I
could no longer live like a criminal in my own country.
I
arrived in the USA on the 23rd of April.
So,
why all this cloak and dagger drama with my personal safety under threat?
It
takes me back to my late father, who was an absolute gentleman. He taught us
growing up, that everyone deserves a fair chance in life and this was in an
apartheid society where 80% of the population wasn’t getting a fair chance.
I
had the love for sport and fair play instilled in me and this eventually led to
a career in sports journalism, highlighted by a remarkable seven years as an
International Sports Anchor with CNN in Atlanta.
After
CNN, I came back to South Africa to share my new journalism expertise and to
give back to a country that needed social responsibility.
I
continued to work as a sports presenter in TV and radio.
In
2007, I co-founded Township TV, which gave free television, education and
entertainment to millions of people in less privileged areas across South
Africa. It uplifted communities, created job opportunities and brought smiles
to so many faces.It brought me tears of joy – I was making a difference.
But
three years ago, my career path took a turn to that of an investigative sports
journalist even though there is almost no culture of investigative sports
journalism in South Africa.
Athletes,
coaches and administrators started to confide in me in what had become the
corrupt and sickly state of South African sport.
There
were times I would sit at my desk with tears running down my face – I could not
believe from the emails how so many of SA’s top sportsmen and women were being
harshly and unfairly treated but they had no voice.
I
started to investigate and expose the corrupt elements – it was a lot deeper
than I thought.
The
saddest part is the millions of rand that is being stolen from the National
Lottery. Funding that should be going to the athletes for training and travel
but instead greedy corrupt officials are lining their own back pockets to feed
their own lavish lifestyles.
Two
years ago, the Olympic Committee of South Africa (SASCOC) slapped me personally
(not the publications) with a R21 million defamation lawsuit to try and bully
and silence me – it didn’t stop me.
The
Department of Sport and Recreation sent me abusive and threatening messages on
twitter – it didn’t stop me!
They
created an anonymous blog, registered in Panama (using my name and a fake
London address) to try and discredit and defame me and to cut me off at the
knees – it didn’t stop me.
It
just made me more determined to expose this evil.
Exposing
the truth so others can get a fair chance has been a very lonely crusade but
many others have been down the same road.
I
draw courage and inspiration from fellow journalists like David Walsh, who took
ten years to expose the real Lance Armstrong and Andrew Jennings who has
recently been vindicated after seven years with his expose on FIFA.
“Sport
has the power to change the world” – the words of Nelson Mandela and it was
Martin Luther King who said: “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent
about things that matter.”
I
could not be silent.
The
truth has to prevail.
It
has been an emotional roller-coaster since arriving in the USA three months ago
but despite being over 8000 miles away from what was home, I will continue to
fight for the South African sportsmen and women who are silenced by corrupt
officials and draconian codes of conduct.
Who
is the “they” behind the threats to my safety will hopefully be revealed in
time to come.
But I’m not
holding my breath with a SAPS captain (Sandton) who doesn’t seem to be
interested in upholding the law of the country and protecting its citizens.
Over to you Captain
Mabasa!
