At some stage during the early days of Sowetan, it was rumoured that it was a Soweto paper, not considering national interests and activities. I was one of the people who denied the rumours and Sowetan proved me right.

Now this rumour has come back to haunt us again, and this time not as a rumour but as a reality that all of us are able to see.

On Saturday, during the Sama awards held in our own province, in our own region of Bojanala, our one and only group from Madibeng in Bojanala, North West, our own boys from Mmakau and Mothotlung scooped the best song of the year category, beating the likes of Lira and DJ Cleo, with due respect to the two, particularly Lira who scooped four awards.

Since then Sowetan has not carried a single picture of Rhythmic Elements, not even an article or an interview with them.

This kind of attitude kills the media freedom that some of us have fought so hard for.

On Monday Sowetan carried DJ Cleo and Lira on the front page and both were publicly whipped by Rhythmic Elements.

Shame on you Sowetan! Is it because this group is from rural Mmakau and Mothotlung, and DJ Cleo is from Springs and Lira from Soweto?

Patrick Morathi, Mothotlung