Concerns about threats against journos
Johannesburg – During its annual general meeting on last Wednesday the Press Council of South Africa said it is concerned with threats levelled at journalists, and urged the public to rather use appropriate platforms to resolve disputes.
The organization noted that threats of violence through social media are intended to undermine media freedom, and that aggrieved members of the public and politicians should use existing channels to lodge complaints.
The Press Council’s executive director Latiefa Mobara urged members of the public to use its processes to resolve disputes with the media.
“In recent weeks, we have seen tweets about senior and seasoned journalists who are allegedly part of a cabal,” Mobara said.
The council heard 533 complaints, up from 499 the previous year. Of those 533 complaints Press Ombudsman Pippa Green issued seven rulings, which are available on the council’s website, the regulatory body explained.
“She found in favour of complainants in three matters, and three in favour of the media. The last ruling was partially in favour of the complainant but most of his complaints were dismissed. Of concern to both the public advocate and the press Ombud is the increase in the number of complaints where the complaints were about publications’ failures to provide a right of reply to subjects of reportage. This was a matter to be addressed with the media through training workshops over the next financial year,” the Press Council said.
The South African National Editors’ Forum (Sanef) recently faced off with the EFF in the Equality Court, sitting in the Gauteng High Court in Pretoria, to interdict the party from intimidating, harassing and assaulting journalists.
Sanef’s bid was joined by five journalists; News24 editor Adriaan Basson, Daily Maverick journalist Pauli van Wyk, Tiso Blackstar associate editor Ranjeni Munusamy, Eyewitness News senior journalist Barry Bateman and Vrye Weekblad co-editor Max du Preez.
This came after Malema, during a speech outside the Zondo commission, identified specific journalists whom he accused of protecting Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan who was testifying at the state capture inquiry in November 2018.
This resulted in journalists being intimidated and attacked by alleged EFF supporters. Sanef claimed these attacks were motivated by Malema’s utterances.
The council also announced the press code had been translated into isiZulu and Afrikaans to improve access to its processes. News24
