Dr. Iqbal Survé, the chairman of Sekunjalo Investment Holdings, has fiercely condemned the apparent weaponisation of Wikipedia to disseminate false and defamatory information regarding him and his companies. In a strong statement, he outlined the organised and malicious nature of the attacks, asserting that this trend poses a severe threat to integrity and truth in the public discourse.

Evidence indicates that certain anonymous users are employing the popular online platform to propagate unverified allegations, driven by a campaign that seems to seek to undermine Dr. Survé’s reputation. Operating under pseudonyms such as @Gevaarlik and @Joker1Joker, these anonymous accounts have been described as “single-purpose accounts” by Wiki moderators, indicating that they are specifically created for either promotion or denigration of certain individuals or entities.

This smear campaign, Sekunjalo Investment Holdings said in a statement, traces back to Dr. Survé’s acquisition of Independent Media, a pivotal moment that left detractors scrambling to tarnish the reputation of Sekunjalo. As the ongoing campaign unfolds, it has become clear that these detractors employ tactics that distort facts and manipulate public perception, hence their deliberate efforts to undermine the credibility of the Sekunjalo Group.

In response to this troubling situation, Sekunjalo Investment Holdings has formally reached out to Wikipedia, demanding immediate intervention.

“We demand that Wikipedia take immediate steps to remove these defamatory edits, prevent further malicious editing by these and other troll accounts, and restore editorial fairness to these pages,” Sekunjalo Investment Holdings said in a statement. 

In a letter of demand, they insist Wikipedia must uphold its responsibility to moderate abuse, urging it to remove defamatory content and curb the activities of these troll accounts. The call for action highlights the need for accountability from platforms that allow their spaces to be used in the service of disinformation.

If Wikipedia fails to act decisively, Sekunjalo and Dr. Survé are poised to take legal action against both the platform and the individuals behind these malicious edits. The planned legal proceedings will address criminal defamation and crimen injuria, alongside civil lawsuits seeking damages for the reputational harm inflicted. With their legal teams already identifying individuals responsible for this damaging narrative, the company has signalled its readiness to tackle this issue head-on.

In a firm reiteration of their commitment to justice, Dr. Survé stated: “If Wikipedia continues to allow its platform to be used as a weapon by faceless individuals for character assassination, we will not hesitate to hold them accountable legally, publicly, and without compromise.” This declaration marks a pivotal moment in the struggle against what he describes as a dangerous trend in social media and digital discourse, raising significant questions about the ability of platforms to regulate their content responsibly.

“We have already begun the process of identifying those responsible, and some of these individuals have been tracked. They will face the full force of the law—both criminally and civilly for their role in spreading lies with the intent to cause reputational harm,” the statement read. 

IOL

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