South African National Editors’ Forum commends the bravery of the country’s journalists, who are working under very difficult conditions while navigating the deadly Covid-19 pandemic. The recent unrests in Gauteng and Kwa-Zulu Natal saw journalists’ lives being threatened and at least 5 radio stations attacked, and their equipment stolen.
SANEF held a virtual non-elective Annual General Meeting, on Saturday 14 August, and discussed several issues including the challenges facing the industry – from media freedom, media sustainability, training of journalists ahead of the elections, access to information, education & training, and support for community media.
The AGM reasserted the pivotal role that journalism continues to play in our constitutional democracy and the importance of the work that has earnestly started to get the media industry to be financially sustainable.
Sbu Ngalwa, SANEF chairperson, said: “We have a lot of work ahead of us as an industry. We are now fully engaged with the work towards the sustainability of our profession. Members attending this AGM yet again reiterated their commitment and support to all efforts to ensure that we continue to enjoy a strong and independent media which produces quality journalism”.
Five community radio stations support
SANEF has decided to support five community stations that were recently affected by the unrest in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng. The five stations, Intokozo FM in Umlazi, Kasie FM in Katlehong, Alex FM in Alexandra, Mams FM in Mamelodi and Westside FM 98.9 MHz in Kagiso, will each been assisted with R20 000 to use towards the purchase of equipment they need as they work towards recovery, fully focused on serving their communities once more. The five stations were also specially recognised at the Nat Nakasa Awards, held on Saturday evening in Johannesburg.
The South African National Editors’ Forum (SANEF) welcomes the decision by Justice Sharmaine Balton, allowing all members of the media to apply to cover the corruption case of Zandile Gumede and twenty-one other accused.
The decision comes after SANEF’s legal representatives, Power Singh Inc, launched an urgent application in the Durban High Court following last week’s decision that said, “no cameras and television recordings will be allowed during the proceedings”.
Barring cameras in the courtroom is tantamount to shutting out the huge public interest this case has. As SANEF, we have always made the point that justice must not only be done, but it must also be seen to be done. This is particularly pivotal in cases that involve public officials and taxpayers’ money, as is the case with this case.
In such cases, the media will always call for transparency. The media, as the eyes and ears of the public, should never be barred from fully covering such matters, and should be free to report via all news platforms.
It must be noted that in terms of the Constitution and pre-existing case law, the public has a right to open justice and the media have a right of access to court proceedings.
Note to Editors:
The South African National Editors’ Forum (SANEF) is a non-profit organisation whose members are editors, senior journalists, and journalism trainers from all areas of the South African media. We are committed to championing South Africa’s hard-won freedom of expression and promoting quality, ethics, and diversity in the South African media. We promote excellence in journalism through fighting for media freedom, writing policy submissions, research and education and training programmes. SANEF is not a union.
The South African National Editors’ Forum (SANEF) has always been consistent in expressing concern about the wellbeing and welfare of journalists whose lives and livelihoods are threatened by a number of challenges beyond their control. In most cases these challenges are not of their own doing.
Over the past two years, since the outbreak of COVID-19, media workers in South Africa have lost jobs and their income as a result of newspapers and publishers buckling under the pressure of a tough economic environment. Others have had their salaries reduced over the same period as companies faced a tough choice of either cutting jobs or reducing salaries to bring down the costs of doing business.
In the same breath, SANEF has always been clear that the commercial interests and dealings of media owners are not within the scope and mandate of the organisation.
Consistent with this position, SANEF is not in a position to speculate as why major banks are closing accounts of Sekunjalo Group, the owners of Independent Media.
That is why we distance ourselves from the misleading article published by IOL on Wednesday, 20 July 2022, under the headline: “Sanef slams banks for stifling media freedom.” This headline is not only distorted, but also the article is riddled with inaccuracies and deliberate misrepresentations to create a false impression that SANEF has taken a position on Standard Bank’s decision to close down the bank accounts. Frankly SANEF does not have enough information to venture an opinion, let alone speculate about the merits of the decision.
In cases where media owners are clashing with other stakeholders – to the detriment of our colleagues’ livelihoods – ours as SANEF is to sympathise with our journalist colleagues who get caught up in the crossfire.
SANEF has faith in South Africa’s judiciary. We believe that we have a strong judiciary which is independent and equally capable to mete out justice in a fair and just manner. Any aggrieved party in a dispute should be able to get recourse through the courts.
Note to Editors:
The South African National Editors’ Forum (SANEF) is a non-profit organisation whose members are editors, senior journalists, and journalism trainers from all areas of the South African media. We are committed to championing South Africa’s hard-won freedom of expression and promoting quality, ethics, and diversity in the South African media. We promote excellence in journalism through fighting for media freedom, writing policy submissions, research and education and training programmes. SANEF is not a union.
legendary writer and poet Don Mattera Image: Google
“For the children of our beautiful land, and to the memory of our freedom fighters who gave their lives…May freedom reign.” Published in 1983, this is front cover quote on one of Don Mattera’s most celebrated books, Azanian Love Songs.
The South African National Editors’ Forum (SANEF) sends heartfelt condolences to the family, relatives and friends of veteran poet, legendary journalist and renowned author, Donato Francisco “Don” Mattera.
Mattera worked as a journalist at Sunday Times, Sowetan, and Weekly Mail (now the Mail and Guardian). He was also a director of the black consciousness publishing imprint, Skotaville. He is also credited for being a founding member of the Black Consciousness movement. Among other credentials, he is also cited as a founding member of the Union of Black Journalists and the Congress of South African Writers.
Media stalwart Dr Mathatha Tsedu described Mattera, who was fondly called Bra Don, as a great humanist who hated pity and charity. Mattera would refuse handouts even when he was financially down, insisting on being given a responsibility so he can earn whatever he would get.
“But he would give without asking for anything in return. And many a time, at political rallies when spirits would be down, he could rise and rouse the crowd with his incisive poetry, showing that the commitment to telling truth to power is not restricted to media as we know it,” Tsedu said.
“Bra Don was a much wider personality than the narrow confines of journalism. But even as a journalist it was with a capital J because he was so colossal in that sphere,” he said.
Tsedu said Mattera was a much wider personality than “the narrow confines of journalism.” He was an author who was banned by the apartheid government from 1973 to 1982 for his political activism. He also taught journalism and produced many whose by-lines and sign off “litter our pages, screens and airwaves.”
His former colleague, Oupa Ngwenya, said Mattera had many names. Some call him ‘Toppie’, others ‘my ma se kind’ – my mother’s child – and others called him ‘Bra Don’ or ‘Bra Zinga’.
“Mean-looking gangster type put up their best behaviour at his sight. The gangster type that saw me and invariably regarded me as no candidate for harassment,” he said.
Ngwenya said Mattera refused to be restricted through his all-embracing approach to political activism as a true pan Africanist. “I later observed how irritable some party faithful became when Mattera interchangeably used different salutations when he took to the podium to render his classic poem, See and Sand, at political rallies. To the straight-jacketed political loyalists, one was either PAC, ANC, or Black Consciousness (BC), and pigeonholed to the corresponding salutes of an open palm salute, the raised thumbs up greeting or clinched Black Power salute,” Ngwenya said.
Former Press Ombudsman Dr Joe Thloloe said Mattera’s life, stretched from a gang leader in the romanticised slum of Sophiatown, in the western part of Johannesburg, to a murder charge, to becoming a leading voice in our society.
“When the government banned him in 1973, I took over from him as deputy president of the Union of Black Journalists. He had taken over that position when the first deputy president, Bokwe Mafuna, was also banned.”
Thloloe said he still remembers the peculiar position at The Star newspaper, where after negotiations between the newspaper and the Minister of Justice, Jimmy Kruger, Mattera was allowed to continue working as a sub-editor but was not allowed to write any copy or headlines. All he could do was edit the work of others.
In all this, Mattera remained optimistic to the last and went on to write: “I knew deep down inside of me, in that place where laws and guns cannot reach nor jackboots trample, that there had been no defeat. In another day, another time, we would emerge to reclaim our dignity and our land. It was only a matter of time and Sophiatown would be reborn.”
Thloloe said Bra Zinga should rest in peace knowing that “we will work towards realising (his) dream.”
Former journalist and author Sandile Memela responded to Mattera’s passing on with a short poem declaring that he will “neither rant nor rave against comrades” because Bra Don said everything that needed to be said. His “words calling for solidarity justice and equality are written in the skies for those with eyes to see.”
SANEF extends its deepest condolences to his family, friends, and colleagues within the industry.
Note to Editors:
The South African National Editors’ Forum (SANEF) is a non-profit organisation whose members are editors, senior journalists, and journalism trainers from all areas of the South African media. We are committed to championing South Africa’s hard-won freedom of expression and promoting quality, ethics, and diversity in the South African media. We promote excellence in journalism through fighting for media freedom, writing policy submissions, research and education and training programmes. SANEF is not a union.
Alex FM music compiler and presenter Joshua Mbatha was killed in Alexandra on Thursday night. Image: TimesLive.co.za
The South African National Editors’ Forum (SANEF) has learnt with shock of the killing of Joshua Mbatha, Alex FM’s music manager. He was 32. Mbatha, affectionately known as DJ Jorontinah, was shot by unknown gunmen after he left work, and was on his way home on Thursday night. He was with two of his colleagues, Sammy Ramodike and Matome Mookanedi, when they were stopped by gunmen.
Isaac Mangena, Alex FM’s chairperson, said in a statement: “They took their phones and shoes before shooting Joshua in the chest. He succumbed to his injuries at Masakhane clinic around 21h00. Let’s keep the family and Josh’s colleagues in our prayers. A promising career gone too soon.”
Mbatha’s killing underlines the high levels of deadly crimes that South Africans are subjected to on a daily basis. We call on law enforcement agencies to work around the clock to apprehend the killers.
Sbu Ngalwa, SANEF’s chairperson, said: “At 32, Joshua was still young and with a great future ahead of him. We call on the police to ensure that the perpetrators are found. Our communities, including media workers, are living under constant fear of crime and brutality. It has to stop”.
Alex FM was one of the stations that were looted during last year’s unrest in July. Following the looting, the station remained on air despite the challenges. For this, Alex FM received an award for bravery at last year’s Nat Nakasa Awards.
SANEF sends its condolences to the Mbatha family, friends, and colleagues at Alex FM.
Funeral and memorial service details will be announced in due course after consultation with the family.
Note to Editors:
The South African National Editors’ Forum (SANEF) is a non-profit organisation whose members are editors, senior journalists, and journalism trainers from all areas of the South African media. We are committed to championing South Africa’s hard-won freedom of expression and promoting quality, ethics, and diversity in the South African media. We promote excellence in journalism through fighting for media freedom, writing policy submissions, research and education and training programmes. SANEF is not a union.
The UN Information Centre (UNIC) in Pretoria, in collaboration with the South African National Editors’ Forum (SANEF), is inviting South African journalists to participate in a half-day free media training workshop for writers on climate change issues as part of an ongoing communications campaign on world oceans.
The objective of the workshop is to impart the latest information on climate change to local South African journalists who write on environmental issues. This will include providing them with the skills needed to break down the climate change terminology (or jargon) into journalistic language that is not only accessible to the public but also capable of convincing decision-makers to develop and implement policies required to address the challenges posed by climate change.
Venue: Radisson Blu Hotel in Sandton, Johannesburg
Date: Friday, 22 July 2022
Time: 08:00hrs to 13:00hrs.
Requirements:
Interested journalists from registered media houses are invited to apply using this email address: [email protected] with a copy to: [email protected]. Applicants should attach copies of their qualification (s) with one or two sample stories they have written on issues related to climate change.
Deadline:
The deadline for the submission of applications is Thursday, 14 July 2022.
Recently a few companies, including debt counselling firm Dotsure and SA Home Loans, have refused to respond to media queries on behalf of clients, citing the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) as an excuse.
However, the work of journalists is specifically excluded from the Act, such as when consumer journalists make enquiries on behalf of a member of the public.
Information Regulator spokesperson Nomzamo Zondi confirmed to the South African National Editors’ Forum (SANEF) that “Section 7 of POPIA clearly stipulates that the Act does not apply to the processing of personal information for journalistic purposes. Therefore, in this instance, where the companies refuse to respond to media inquiries based on POPIA – it’s incorrect. Furthermore, the journalist in this instance has received consent from the data subject to process their personal information, making the case of the journalist more solid.”
The chair of SANEF’s Access to Information and Media Policy committee, Izak Minnaar adds:
“This guidance from the Information Regulator means that as long as journalists follow the clauses on privacy and personal data in the Press Code of Ethics for Print and Online Media, they are acting within the prescripts of POPIA.
In the light of the response from the Information Regulator, journalists are encouraged to report companies to the IR if they do not want to respond to reasonable requests made on behalf of consumers.”
Note to Editors:
The South African National Editors’ Forum (SANEF) is a non-profit organisation whose members are editors, senior journalists, and journalism trainers from all areas of the South African media. We are committed to championing South Africa’s hard-won freedom of expression and promoting quality, ethics, and diversity in the South African media. We promote excellence in journalism through fighting for media freedom, writing policy submissions, research and education and training programmes. SANEF is not a union.
The South African National Editors’ Forum (SANEF) mourns the passing of veteran journalist, Thupane Horatio (Mogaecho) Motjuwadi after a prolonged illness.
Motjuwadi, 67, died on Sunday morning at 1 Military Hospital in Pretoria after a struggle with a heart condition, his ex-wife Christina Motjuwadi said.
Motjuwadi, known among his contemporaries as a lover of the “Queen’s language”, has been in and out of hospital over the past two months.
Journalist and Producer Mpikeleni Duma described him as a journalist who was “part of the Black consciousness intellectual movement” that worked at the Rand Daily Mail newspaper that became the symbol of black journalism and Black liberation alongside stalwarts such as Lindiwe Mokate, Sophie Tema, Bro Bokwe Mafuna, Joe Thloloe, Nat Diseko, Harry Mashabela, Doc Bikitsha, Harold Pongola, and Jimmy Mojapelo, among others.
His former Sowetan colleague Oupa Ngwenya said Motjuwadi who was born and raised in Madubulaville in Randfontein, on the West Rand. He gave 38 years of his life to journalism. “He started his career in 1977 at a time when state repression was at its most vile temper, he thrust himself into the field fully aware that it was not going to be smooth-sailing,” he said.
Ngwenya said he will remember Motjuwadi as an energetic practitioner who stamped his presence in the media sphere with confidence. His footprints can be found on various media houses’ newsrooms from Rand Daily Mail, Sowetan, through Sunday Times Extra, Sports Day, The Star up to the time when he served as Sowetan/Sunday World deputy editor.
The illustrious days of the Writers Association of South Africa and the Media Workers Association of South Africa cannot be remembered without proudly mentioning Motjuwadi’s name.
“And yet he discharged his journalist duties without allowing the colour of his politics to cloud the clarity of his stories,” Ngwenya said.
SANEF extends its deepest condolences to her family, friends, and colleagues within the industry.
Note to Editors:
The South African National Editors’ Forum (SANEF) is a non-profit organisation whose members are editors, senior journalists, and journalism trainers from all areas of the South African media. We are committed to championing South Africa’s hard-won freedom of expression and promoting quality, ethics, and diversity in the South African media. We promote excellence in journalism through fighting for media freedom, writing policy submissions, research and education and training programmes. SANEF is not a union.
Deadline: 31 July 2022
The South African National Editor’s Forum is now accepting nominations for courageous journalism of the stories published in print or online or broadcast between June 2021 – June 2022:
1 – Nat Nakasa Award for Media Integrity.
2 – Nat Nakasa Award for Community Media
Nat Nakasa was a prominent journalist and writer who died in exile. This annual award recognises any media practitioner – journalist or editor – who has:
* Shown integrity and reported fearlessly;
* Displayed a commitment to serve the people of South Africa despite insurmountable obstacles;
* Resisted any censorship;
* Shown courage in making information available to the SA public;
* Any combination of the above.
Please submit your nomination by close of business on Sunday 31 July 2022, accompanied by a motivation of 300 words to:
The Award is open to all journalists serving all media platforms from a community / national newspaper, magazine or an electronic medium (including online publishers).
Previous winners of this award are, however, not eligible for entry.
The winner will receive R20 000 in prize money and a certificate.
The winner will be announced at the Nat Nakasa Awards ceremony on 17 September 2022 in Durban.
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