Journalist was expecting arrest

Sunday Times journalist Mzilikazi wa Afrika, who was arrested for fraud and defeating the ends of justice yesterday, appears to have been aware that his arrest was imminent.

On his Facebook site on Tuesday night, Wa Afrika posted: "for the record: some small town journalists and corrupt politicians from Mpumalanga are busy spreading rumours that I have been arrested - I am well, alive and at work!!!!!!!!!!!!!".

The Hawks said Wa Afrika was expected to appear in court on Wednesday.

Hawks spokesperson Musa Zondi said the journalist would appear in Kabokweni District Court in Mpumalanga along with two others who were arrested in Nelspruit on the same case.

Wa Afrika was arrested as editors and senior journalists were meeting on Wednesday to discuss threats against media freedom. The Hawks swooped on the building where the meeting was under way and arrested Wa Afrika.

Concern was raised that the arrest may have been linked to the report Wa Afrika wrote linking police chief, Bheki Cele, to a R500 million rental contract for new police headquarters, but the Hawks were adamant the arrest had nothing to do with Cele or Wa Afrika's work as a journalist.

In the letter, dated June 2, Mabuza purportedly told Zuma he was to step down on July 17.

Opposition parties and media groups have expressed concern at the high-profile arrest carried out by eight plainclothes officers who bundled the reporter into a vehicle in what Sunday Times editor Ray Hartley described as an "operation which was clearly designed to intimidate".

Wa Afrika and his lawyer had been leaving the Avusa building for a scheduled meeting with police at the Rosebank police station.

The arrest took place as editors and journalists were meeting to discuss the threat to access to information posed by the Protection of Information Bill and ANC proposals for a media tribunal.

A shouting match erupted between editors, senior journalists and the arresting officers from the Hawks - the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation - when they tried to stop photographers from taking pictures of the arrest.

Zondi said the arrest had nothing to do with press freedom.

"The journalist was not arrested for his work as a journalist. He was arrested on very specific charges," Zondi said.

At 5pm on Wednesday, Hartley said he had yet to be officially informed of Wa Afrika's location and the charges.

Zondi said: "It is not accurate that we have denied him access to his lawyer or have kept his location a secret."

On his Facebook site |hours before his arrest, Wa Afrika was critical of politicians:

"A politician is a fellow who will lay down your life for his country and not the one who steals from his country; in life honesty is the best policy, always speak the truth and shame the devil. Speak the truth and the truth shall set you free" and "national police commissioner General Bheki Cele is attacking me persanally but it will keep it professional and let the facts speak for themselves - watch the space."