SANEF slams the outrageous attack by the MK Party on journalist, Hajra Omarjee and warns against escalating media intimidation.

The South African National Editors’ Forum (SANEF) strongly condemns the unprecedented, vitriolic attack by the uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP) on Business Day political editor, Hajra Omarjee. This onslaught follows the publication of her recent report linking MKP leader Jacob Zuma to planned protests by the ‘March and March movement’ scheduled for June 30.

SANEF continues to raise deep concerns regarding the alarming readiness of certain politicians and political parties to attack journalists whenever reports are published or broadcast that they disagree with or dislike.

Omarjee has every right to investigate, consult her sources, and publish verified stories that strictly adhere to the Press Code. If the MK Party is aggrieved by any published or broadcast content, it has recourse to legitimate, established institutions such as the Press Council or the Broadcasting Complaints Commission of South Africa (BCCSA), rather than resorting to derogatory name-calling, harassment, and intimidation. SANEF will not stand by and allow political parties to cast aspersions on the integrity of journalists simply for doing their jobs.

An Alarming and Coordinated Trend of Hostility

SANEF has observed an unfortunate and dangerous trend linking the rhetoric of the MKP to the activities of the anti-immigrant movement, “March and March” movement supporters who have aggressively confronted, harassed, and intimidated individual journalists, reporters, and media crews across three provinces: the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), and Gauteng.

Journalists are not being targeted for any illegal acts, but rather for exposing xenophobic rhetoric, fact-checking anti-immigration public claims, and reporting on the violence that frequently accompanies these protests. The movement’s leadership has aggressively pushed back against media houses that label their activities xenophobic, resulting in severe hostility on the ground to prevent reporters from filming or documenting chaos, particularly when protests degenerate into assaults against, and looting of, foreign nationals’ businesses.

SANEF places on record the following severe violations of media freedom perpetrated by the movement and its leadership:

Online Harassment and Doxxing

Daniel Steyn & Ashraf Hendricks (GroundUp): Following critical investigative pieces by Steyn exposing the movement’s rhetoric, and multimedia documentation by Hendricks debunking their claims, both journalists were subjected to heavy online trolling, harassment, and intimidation by movement supporters.

Also in Cape Town, March and March Cape Town movement published photographs of journalists Wesley Fester and Saamwiet Moos on its social media with the explicit intent to track and target them, which is a dangerous violation of press freedom and basic ethics. It actively called on its supporters to target these individuals, shifted from peaceful public assembly to incitement and harassment.

Sibongakonke Shoba (Sowetan editor-in-chief): After writing a widely read column critical of March and March’s vigilante actions, followers retrieved and circulated pictures of Shoba and his family online. SANEF strongly condemns this dangerous attempt to intimidate a journalist by targeting his family.

These tactics not only directly jeopardise the physical safety of working journalists in the field but also attempt to create a hostile environment aimed at silencing accountability and transparency.

Public Confrontations by Leadership

Nobesuthu Hejana (eNCA): During an interview in Cape Town, the movement’s founder and former radio DJ, Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma, aggressively accused Hejana and the broader media of falsely pushing a “xenophobic narrative.”

MDN News Reporter: During a separate media address, Ngobese-Zuma publicly clashed with a journalist and subjected the reporter to intense public hostility.

Physical Hostility and Regional Warnings

KwaZulu-Natal (Pietermaritzburg Assaults): During a massive demonstration in the Pietermaritzburg CBD, a mob broke off into nearby informal settlements, violently assaulting foreign nationals. On-scene journalists trying to document the violence faced direct physical threats and hostility from the crowd to prevent them from filming.

In Durban: DW Correspondent Dianne Hawker-Kalubi and her camera operator were physically manhandled after asking questions of March and March leader Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma. Zuma’s bodyguards physically pushed the team and covered their camera during a live broadcast, forcing nearby police to intervene.

Gauteng (Johannesburg CBD): As the movement expanded its campaign to Johannesburg, reporters from major media outlets were subjected to intense intimidation while trying to cover demonstrations outside the Gauteng Legislature.

News24 journalists have been threatened, shoved, and ordered to delete footage of violent, anti-immigrant attacks by the movement’s supporters. On Wednesday, the Movement again had a confrontation with News24 journalists in an attempt to dictate how they should do their job, which is a deeply troubling escalation that threatens the safety of media workers and the public’s right to information by aggressively cornering, intimidating, or physically obstructing reporters. It is crossing the line from political activism into outright censorship.

Furthermore, the movement’s communications team has accused specific Gauteng-based political journalists of carrying out a biased “smear campaign,” threatening that reporters will be barred from future events.

This sharp rise in verbal abuse, cyberbullying, and physical harassment of media personnel should not be tolerated in a Constitutional democracy. No movement or political party has the right to demand that camera crews delete footage, and threatening reporters on the ground are direct assaults on the constitutional right to freedom of expression and a free press.

We reiterate our unwavering support for the independence of all journalists. The media must be allowed to do its work without fear, favour, or political bullying. The intimidation of the press should be frowned upon by all sectors of society, and we call on the leadership of both the MK Party and the ‘March and March’  movement to rein in their supporters if they genuinely believe in the principles of our Constitutional democracy.

ENDS

 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 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 by fighting for media freedom, writing policy submissions, conducting research, and providing education and training programmes. SANEF is not a union.

For more information, please contact:

Tshamano Makhadi – Acting Chairperson (082) 223-062

Glenda Daniels – Secretary-General (083) 229-9708

Sbu Ngalwa – Treasurer-General (073) 404-1415

Slindile Khanyile – Media Freedom Chair (083) 471-0367

Katy Katopodis – Wellness and Safety Chair (082) 805-7022

Dianne Hawker – Gauteng Convenor (072) 016-5984

Judy Sandison – KZN Convenor (082) 571-3334

Jude Mathurine – Eastern Cape Convenor (083) 799-1701

Sisanda Nkoala – Western Cape Convenor (073) 138-5564

Reggy Moalusi – Executive Director (071) 682-3695

Twitter: @SAEditorsForum

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.SANEF.org.za