The South African National Editors’ Forum (SANEF) welcomes the removal of the “Baby Trade” story as a shortlisted piece from the International News Media Association (INMA) Global Media Awards.
The so-called docuseries, first published as a story by Pretoria News last June, was shortlisted in the category of “Best Use of Social Media”, a nomination SANEF strongly objected to.
Through correspondence to INMA, SANEF expressed its dissatisfaction with this problematic and flawed nomination. Until SANEF released its last statement, initial responses from INMA left a lot to be desired, as they did their bid to argue that the judges were “judging the quality of the social media campaign – not the story itself”.
We accept the latest statement which states: “Given the opportunity to review information from all parties related to the concerns raised, our international judges have reconsidered the entry, and it is no longer a finalist. We respect the jury’s decision,” stated Earl Wilkinson, INMA’s executive director.
We welcome this removal, and hope INMA will in the future attend better to shortlisted pieces, particularly those that threaten the trust in the media, and aim to work against ethical journalism as they purport disinformation through stories found to be a ‘hoax’ by their own internal ombudsman.
The South African National Editors’ Forum (SANEF) is appalled at the retention of a false report about the so-called birth of Decuplets in Gauteng as a shortlisted piece of journalism for the upcoming Global Media Awards.
This story – first published by Independent Media’s Pretoria News last year – is entered under the category, “Best Use of Social Media” in the International News Media Awards (INMA).
SANEF has written to the INMA to express its concern, but despite this – the video series remains one of the nominees. We also find it entirely unsatisfactory that in its response, the INMA says the judges were “judging the quality of the social media campaign – not the story itself”.
The INMA further went on to state it is “not in a position to reverse their jury’s decision to shortlist the social media campaign, given the information at their disposal during the judging process in February 2022, the additional context surrounding the story will be weighed in the ongoing process to select winners which will be announced by INMA in June 2022.”
This response is unfortunately not good enough for SANEF, as it legitimises a campaign borne out of a story that has been proven not only to be ludicrous, but also an embarrassment to South African journalism.
Unfortunately, the embarrassment continues as the same newspaper group, a paying member of INMA, continues to publish more stories that seek to purport the legitimacy of the decuplets’ so-called birth. It is important to note that the ten babies are still to be seen and no proof has ever been provided that they do in fact exist.
This report has no basis in truth, is factually inaccurate and contributes to the spread of disinformation, deliberately misleading audiences. It’s now public knowledge and widely accepted that the piece perpetuates disinformation and has been flagged for its total lack of verification, and deeply questionable ‘sources’.
The legitimacy of the entire so-called story has been called into question. As the June awards fast approach, we call on the INMA to reconsider its stance. The Decuplets report has been condemned by the Gauteng Provincial Government, and the medical fraternity at large … with all key role players distancing themselves from it.
It is not only fake, but also dangerous as it seriously sets back the advances made by the country in protecting women and children. Ethical journalism and building public trust are the cornerstones of good journalistic practices – yet this piece majestically fails at both.
We urgently call on the INMA, as a business associated with reputable publishers worldwide, to immediately remove the shortlisting of this piece from this category, further noting how Independent Media’s own internal ombudsman, in a ruling dated 5 July 2021, flagged the initial story as having ‘failed to pass the basic principles of journalism’ and amounted to a ‘hoax.’
The South African National Editors’ Forum (SANEF) today proudly launches the revised e-version of the Reporting the Courts Manual, following a year-long collaborative public process that brought together the media, the judiciary, and media freedom advocacy stakeholders.
SANEF has also created a special portal https://courtreporting.sanef.org.za for journalists to access this revised edition of SANEF’s 2006 manual of the same name – offering extensive guidance for journalists reporting on South Africa’s law and justice system today. This enormous task was made possible with the assistance of Open Society Foundation for South Africa (OSF-SA).
Due to popular demand, the manual was revised after appeals from various stakeholders and court reporters who argued that the original manual was outdated. Journalists can now access the revised e-version on this portal together with all related training material, put together by the Institute for the Advancement of Journalists (IAJ) who held training webinars last December and in January and February.
Sbu Ngalwa, SANEF’s chairman, said the revised manual would not have been possible without voluntary assistance from the country’s greatest legal minds, including the Justices of the Constitutional Court, who continue to support this initiative. It is the media’s goal to strive to be accurate and balanced when reporting all the courts, commissions of inquiry and related judicial processes, said Ngalwa.
“As journalists, we have the unique responsibility to explain the decisions and processes of our courts, to the public. To do that, we first must understand the court system and how it functions. After all, judges and magistrates have little power outside of the courtroom to explain or unpack their positions. That is why we need the media to play that role, that is public good journalism.”
“As an organisation, we do a lot of collaborative work with training institutions around aspects such as court-reporting principles. We also constantly lobby the Justice Department and the office of the Chief Justice to ensure that journalists have unrestricted access to magistrates and the high courts,” Ngalwa said.
The late Chief Justice Pius Nkonzo Langa wrote the foreword in the first edition where he stated that: “(The) work of the media is not limited to reporting and criticising court decisions. Perhaps the greater challenge for the media is to educate people about their rights and how to enforce them.”
Justice Yvonne Mokgoro wrote the foreword for this revised 2nd edition where she said: “The law being a specialised field of knowledge, this reviewed version of the (Reporting the Courts) manual will continue to enhance the understanding and appreciation of court processes of reporting journalists…To the extent that the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted court processes and the operations of associated entities, the revision will stand journalists in good stead.”
She said the contribution of civil society, including funders, the academia, members of the judiciary and the legal profession has been significant in this effort of rendering the media efficient and effective in its public information role and function. “The demonstrated collaboration between the media and relevant role players in the production of this important manual is thus highly commendable,” Justice Mokgoro wrote.
The first 2006 edition was written by veteran journalist and editor, Kevin Ritchie. media stalwart Gwen Ansell and researcher Nonkululeko Sibambato, now an attorney did the 2022 revisions.
Note to Editors:
Justice Yvonne Mokgoro was a judge of the South African Constitutional Court from its inception in 1994 until the end of her 15-year term in 2009. Most pertinently for her contribution here, she has served as Chairperson of the Selection Committee for the Press Council of South Africa, which appoints the Press Ombudsperson and members of the Press Appeal Board.
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.
With the deadline for entries closing in just 10 days, journalists and editors are encouraged to submit their work into the Standard Bank Sikuvile Journalism Awards (Sikuvile Awards) as soon as they can.
There are 12 categories that can be entered, including two new categories, Indigenous language reporting in community media and Community Service Reporting.
All category winners receive the coveted Sikuvile Journalism Award Trophy as well as R15,000 prize money (to be shared if there is more than one winner in a category).
The Awards for Rising Star of the Year and Journalist of the Year are selected from the entries in the categories by the jury.
The Allan Kirkland Soga: Achievement Award is also awarded by the jury. This award recognises a sustained and extraordinary contribution to newspaper journalism on the part of an individual and the winner will have demonstrated impeccable ethics and craft excellence.
These Awards are hosted by the South African National Editors’ Forum (SANEF) and sponsored by Standard Bank.
Winners will be announced at a live event at The Venue, Melrose Arch, on 25 June 2022.
The Standard Bank Sikuvile Journalism Awards have found a new home at the South African National Editors’ Forum (SANEF) and will take place this year on 25 June 2022 at a live event at Melrose Arch. Entries open today, Tuesday, 15 March.
“SANEF is excited to host the awards in June and we are confident more journalists will enter their excellent work as they have done in previous years,” says SANEF chairman, Sbu Ngalwa.
Ngalwa says the Awards are a natural fit for SANEF. “The Awards are a key highlight when it comes to awarding excellent journalistic work, which is something wholly supported by SANEF.”
Long-time sponsor of the Awards, Standard Bank, will be taking up the sponsorship again this year.
Celebrate and nurture free speech
Regarding its sponsorship of the Award, Standard Bank CEO, Lungisa Fuzile, says: “In a world that is more connected than ever before, access to reliable, sourced, accurate and verified information has become even more important today.
“We have seen the destructive impact of fake news locally and globally and the division and confusion that it sows.”
Free speech and access to information is the cornerstone of any democracy, a precious and vulnerable gift borne from struggle and conflict for a just society he adds.
“The role of our media professionals is now more important than ever. But they too are facing their own challenges as the global nature of information and the Internet upends their traditional business models,” says Fuzile.
“Its support of our diligent and professional media through initiatives like the Standard Bank Sikuvile Awards, where we celebrate and nurture those who guard free speech, share and interpret conflicting ideas and provide us with the clearest picture of where it is we want to be as a society,” he continues.
“We are thankful to Standard Bank for entrusting us with this huge task,” says Ngalwa.
A theme of innovation
Relaunching the awards this year, with the theme “Innovation”. The last two years have seen necessity give rise to countless innovations including ones within the media. The Awards and theme this year will celebrate these as well as highlight the significant role that media has played during this time.
Ngalwa says there will be some exciting changes, including some new categories. “This includes a category that recognises journalists for excellence in reporting in Indigenous languages and a category for community service reporting.”
Award Categories
The awards are open to all print, online/digital, broadcast (radio and TV) journalists.
The categories are:
1 Hard News
NEW: Indigenous language reporting in community media
The Awards for Rising Star of the Year and Journalist of the Year are selected from the entries in the categories by the jury.
Also awarded by the jury is the Allan Kirkland Soga: Achievement Award which recognises a sustained and extraordinary contribution to newspaper journalism on the part of an individual and the winner will have demonstrated impeccable ethics and craft excellence.
The Covid -19 pandemic has meant new challenges for journalists, who play a crucial role in informing people during the pandemic, with journalists working for community media being the most disadvantaged in terms of knowledge and supplies such as data.
Journalists face growing challenges in fulfilling their role as they report in an emergency of this nature. Hugely prevalent has been the dis- and mis- information scourge, which has run rampant, leaving the media to deal with copious amounts of dubious information. Media practitioners have also had to find new sources and new ways of accessing these sources as they report about Covid-19, and challenges brought by the pandemic.
“Community media plays a pivotal role in informing our communities. Journalists in this sector, and other sectors such as mainstream, have in the past two years played a masterful role to inform their audiences. This training will come in handy as we empower our journalists to be upskilled, as they report on this pandemic, and other challenges in the near future,” says Reggy Moalusi, SANEF’s Executive Director.
The training has been funded and supported by the Open Society Foundation-SA.
“It is for this reason, that SANEF is providing training to these journalists, building on the foundation of the Reporting the Pandemic Guide already produced,” he continued.
The workshops will be based on the existing guide, the compilation of which was informed by the collaboration of media practitioners, including community journalists, and education experts.
“With this training, journalists will be able to protect themselves and their sources, while educating their audiences” says Dr Sandra Roberts, Academic Head of fraycollege.
fraycollege has been contracted to develop and provide this training.
We encourage community journalists to apply to join. Those who do join will get data to attend the online workshops.
Deadline for applications is March 21, 2022. Sign up here.
For more information on the training contact Sandra Roberts, fraycollege, 084 9000 344, [email protected].
For media enquiries, contact Reggy Moalusi, Executive Director, SANEF, 071 682 3695, [email protected].
The South African National Editors’ Forum (SANEF) is concerned about the suppressing of a range of news channels reporting on the crisis in Ukraine. This is ranging from silencing independent news channels within Russia to channels such as RT (formerly Russia Today or Rossiya Segodnya) removed on the MultiChoice platform in South Africa.
The RT feed was blocked by MultiChoice’s provider in Europe as a result of wide-ranging sanctions introduced by the EU against Russia in the aftermath of that country’s invasion of Ukraine. This was followed by the blocking of RT from numerous news feeds and tech platforms globally.
We also strongly condemn the bombing of a Ukrainian TV tower in Kyiv that prevents citizens from accessing one of their news sources. Russian strikes on Kyiv TV tower brought down the main TV tower in the nation’s capital killing five people on Tuesday and knocking out some state broadcasting. This violates the rights of media workers in this conflict.
While we support freedom of access to a diversity of views, we do not support disinformation on any channels; and appeal to all to report factually, impartially, and truthfully for the benefit of all their audiences.
We also note that disinformation is a global problem with deception techniques becoming more complex and sophisticated, causing confusion, and having the effect of undermining human rights and democracy. That is why all news organisations have the responsibility to actively counter any built-in biases and seek to be impartial in all their reports.
RT is a Russian state-controlled international television network funded by the tax budget of the Russian government; and as such widely perceived as a state propaganda tool. It is nevertheless a source of information from Russia, that viewers could access along with all other channels, to critically assess its credibility and information for themselves.
SANEF is not blind to the fact that in Russia, the authorities have imposed censorship on information about the “special operation” now underway. According to Reporters without Borders (RSF), Roskomnadzor, the Russian media regulator, has told the media in that country that they must “only use the information and data they receive from official Russian sources” or else they could be prosecuted for spreading false information.
We also note the RSF’s call on belligerents and international organisations to guarantee the safety of the Ukrainian journalists, including more than 1 000 foreign correspondents reporting on the ground in Ukraine, according to figures provided by the Ukrainian military, which issues accreditations.
Both Resolution 2222, adopted in 2015 by the UN Security Council (of which Russia is a permanent member), and international humanitarian law require that journalists are protected during armed conflicts in the same as any civilian, even when accompanying military forces for their reporting purpose.
SANEF calls on all platforms, including those on social media, to be vigilant in ensuring impartiality and in countering disinformation.
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.
SANEF in partnership with the Institute for the Advancement of Journalism is hosting a series of webinars to accompany the relaunch of the Reporting the Courts manual.
The next instalment of the Reporting the Courts webinar series looks at the role of the judiciary and the office of the chief justice featuring @CASACZA @WhyJudgesMatter and the @HelenSuzmanFdn.
The South African National Editors’ Forum (SANEF) held its first Council meeting for 2022 on 12 February 2022 in Cape Town and deliberated on various issues plaguing the media industry and the country.
SANEF held robust discussions with the Auditor-General, Tsakani Maluleke, engaging her on the critical work of accountability in public funding and resources spent, and Water and Sanitation Minister, Senzo Mchunu, as government commits to prioritise water security, investment in water resources and maintenance.
Maluleke acknowledged the role of the media in ensuring the public is informed on the work of her office, including service delivery failures and corruption, often providing early warnings about critical areas that can inform their work.
“The media has also been a critical partner in highlighting our audit findings and ensuring they do not go unnoticed. As a case in point, I was particularly pleased by the extent to which the media used our reports, as reference point, during the 2021 local government elections. I want to assure you of our unreserved appreciation for that and for doing your work diligently and without fear or favour,” Maluleke said.
Minister Mchunu decried the numerous plans by successive ministers in his portfolio, highlighting that eradication of pit latrines, reconfiguration of water boards, and resolving the Vaal River sewage spillage will be prioritised during his tenure.
“We need a plan for water reticulation and sanitation that can be implemented by the department irrespective of a minister in the office. The department of Water and Sanitation wants to deal with the problem of the bucket system once and for all. However, it must start with pre-planning for settlements because often settlements are created and then the department starts following behind with water supply and sanitation requirements.
MEDIA ISSUES:
Access to the courts
SANEF is aggrieved by the deteriorating access for journalists to the country’s Magistrates and High Courts.
Despite access to the courts being secured in the Bill of Rights, which forms part of the Constitution, we have seen magistrates and judges arbitrarily barring journalists from covering public proceedings or imposing rules of access that are both unfair and irrational.
In the latest incident, Western Cape Judge President John Hlophe imposed an application process for journalists to attend the bail hearing review application of Zandile Christmas Mafe, the man accused of burning Parliament, after he was referred by the state to the Valkenberg Psychiatric Hospital.
SANEF wrote to the Judge President in January and is yet to receive a response.
In 2020, SANEF celebrated the Magistrates’ Commission having set national guidelines regarding media access to court proceedings, following months of campaigning.
However, magistrates across the country have ignored their own guidelines. SANEF has tirelessly tried to engage the commission with no success.
SANEF council resolved to write to the Acting Chief Justice Raymond Zondo to plead with him to intervene in this clear violation of the Constitution.
“We have received numerous reports from journalists in various provinces, complaining that they have had to apply for permission to cover court proceedings, sometimes arguing their cases in the magistrates chamber,” SANEF deputy chair Adriaan Basson said.
Nat Nakasa grave
SANEF reiterated its disappointment that the eThekwini municipality is yet to fulfil its promise to restore the tombstone of journalist and anti-apartheid icon, Nat Nakasa.
The tombstones of Nakasa and late former Orlando Pirates and Bafana Bafana goalkeeper, Senzo Meyiwa, lie desecrated at the Heroes Acre in Chesterville, Durban.
Media sustainability
SANEF council deliberated on journalism sustainability, including fair competition in the digital economy between news media and tech platforms and we are considering engaging the Competition Commission in this regard.
SANEF is also looking at projects that will support the sustainable future of community media as the coalface of information to society.
SABC matters
SANEF, in partnership with Campaign for Free Expression, will continue to push for the SABC grievance hearing against CEO, Madoda Mxakwe, and Board Chair, Bongumusa Makhathini, to be opened to the public. Now fired SABC chief executive Phathiswa Magopeni accused them of editorial interference.
We are also concerned by the growing trend of law-enforcement agencies making no progress in investigations of callous criminal acts of those threatening the lives of journalists, especially during elections. We again call on police to bring to court those threatening Lesedi FM journalists who have been threatened with rape, beatings and death and left threatening graffiti on the walls of the SABC offices in Mangaung, Free State.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorised as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyse and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always active
Necessary cookies are essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Analytics
Analytics cookies are used to track user behaviour on our website. We process these cookies to understand user engagement and improve user experience on our website.The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
SANEF in partnership with the Institute for the Advancement of Journalism is hosting a series of webinars to accompany the relaunch of the Reporting the Courts manual.
