The South African Minister of Correctional Services - Ngconde Balfour - has announced his intention to sue e.tv for trespassing and invasion of privacy, according to a report published by newswire SAPA yesterday.
According to the report Balfour's house at the Groote Schuur ministerial estate in Rondebosch, Cape Town was entered by an e.tv new crew without his knowledge or permission.
The crew was filming a news item about a recent burglary at Mr Balfour's house.
The channel broadcast interior shots of Mr Balfour's house on their Tuesday evening and Wednesday morning news programmes, which was "juxtaposed with malicious comments", according to Luphumzo Kebeni, spokesman for the minister's office.
Kebeni said the e.tv journalists had "overstepped the boundaries of responsible journalism" by claiming that one of the suspects in the robbery was recently released from prison after a special remission of his sentence by the minister.
"There is no basis for this as the criminal investigation by police is still underway," said Kebeni.
The channel has yet to release a statement on the matter.