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Media Freedom

SANEF Condemns Threats To Journalist Working On A National Lotteries Commission Story

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The South African National Editors’ Forum (SANEF) condemns the threats made against a correspondent journalist working on a story for the Zoutpansberger and Limpopo Mirror.

The community newspapers in Limpopo have been investigating a story on the National Lotteries Commission’s funding of a non-profit organisation, Vyeboom Youth Development in the province.

According to Anton van Zyl, publisher of the Zoutpansberger and Limpopo Mirror, their correspondent received a threatening phone call on Thursday 23 July 2020 from a person telling him to stop enquiring about the activities at the project. He was told that if he did not stop, he would be followed and hurt.

Van Zyl said the correspondent had made enquiries requesting information about the non-profit which has received at least R15 million from the National Lotteries Commission (NLC) in the past few years. He said the matter was reported to the local police and a case of intimidation is being investigated.

“We don’t take kindly to such threats to our journalists, and we view it as a direct attack on media freedom and the constitutional values that we hold dear. The only way we can effectively respond to such threats is to shine a light on what is happening and try and establish why people would want to hide the truth,” Van Zyl said.

SANEF believes it is inexcusable for individuals to threaten the journalist. We trust that the police will give this matter the urgency it deserves and identify the culprits.

Further, SANEF is disturbed by the reluctance of the National Lotteries Commission to release information about NPOs that it is funding despite the Minister of Trade and Industry, Ebrahim Patel’s clear statement in reply to a Parliamentary question last month that the NLC must make the list of non-profit organisations that it funds available.

For 18 years, the NLC has published these and other details on projects it funds as part of its annual reports. But last year it did an about-turn and excluded this information from its 2018-19 report.

SANEF and Media Monitoring Africa (MMA) are proceeding with a court application which challenges the constitutionality of Regulation 8 of the Lotteries Act to ensure that it is either set aside in its entirety or amended to bring it in line with the Constitution. Regulation 8 limits the disclosure of information on grant applications and grants themselves. Regulation 8(3) renders any person who discloses and publishes such information guilty of a criminal offence. This prohibition extends even to situations in which the disclosure or publication of information would be in the public interest – for instance, in order to bring to light allegations of corruption or maladministration regarding the manner in which public funds are being spent.

Our legal counsel is of the view that the current wording of Regulation 8 is an unjustifiable limitation on the right to freedom of expression, and that journalists are at risk of facing future litigation or criminal complaints from the NLC. The broad aim of the legal challenge is to shield news publications and journalists, who may want to publish NLC grant information in future, from being subject to litigation or criminal complaints.

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.

For more information please contact:

  • Mahlatse Mahlase – SANEF Chairperson, (083) 399-2852
  • Katy Katopodis – SANEF Deputy Chairperson, (082) 805-7022
  • Moipone Malefane – SANEF Secretary-General (082) 772-5861
  • Mary Papayya – SANEF Media Freedom Chair (082) 379-4957
  • Sbu Ngalwa – SANEF Eastern Cape Convenor (073) 404-1415
  • Janet Heard – SANEF Western Cape Convenor (078) 041-9528
  • Hopewell Radebe – SANEF Gauteng Regional Convenor (083) 582-1734
  • Judy Sandison – SANEF KZN Convenor (082) 571-3334
  • Kate Skinner – SANEF Executive Director – (082) 926-6404

 

5

SANEF Alarmed By Threats Against An SABC News Crew In Ulundi

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The South African National Editors’ Forum (SANEF) was alarmed to hear of the harassment of a SABC Durban news crew while out in the field yesterday. They had been reporting on the impact of the lockdown on rural communities but were later blocked and threatened by a group, not related to their news story.

Thanks to the swift action of members of the Ulundi SAPS, the journalists were not injured. However, SANEF believes that journalists doing essential work – and keeping the public informed – should never be subjected to such traumatic experiences. Community members threatened to burn the SABC news vehicle.

SANEF calls on community leaders including traditional leaders in KwaZulu-Natal – and across the country – to ensure that citizens are clearly informed about the media’s right to be out in the field, as designated essential workers. We have a critical job to play to responsibly inform and educate the public about the spread and containment of the virus.

In this case, it appears that community members turned against the media out of frustration due to their poverty and due to a lack of service delivery.

SANEF is working with local and national media bodies including the international organisation, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and local media NGO, Media Monitoring Africa (MMA) to monitor safety issues.

From our side, we are satisfied that the media has complied with government regulations and that journalists in the field are equipped with the relevant press cards and permits to allow their free movement to cover all areas of the country.

To ensure the safety and protection of journalists SANEF has called on all media organisations to make sure their staff are kitted with the relevant protective gear.

We refer all media organisations to the safety tips including on our SANEF website.

Further, we call on all media organisations to ensure, wherever possible, that they provide trauma counselling for journalists who have been out on assignment. SANEF, again, notes the long-term damaging effects of untreated trauma. We have compiled a list of trauma and psychological services for journalists that can be accessed on our website.

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.

For more information please contact:

Mahlatse Mahlase – SANEF Chairperson, (083) 399-2852

Judy Sandison – SANEF KZN Convenor (082) 571-3334

Sbu Ngalwa – SANEF Eastern Cape Convenor (073) 404-1415

Janet Heard – SANEF Western Cape SANEF Convenor, (078) 041-9528

Hopewell Radebe – SANEF Acting Gauteng Regional Convenor (083) 582-1734

Kate Skinner – SANEF Executive Director – (082) 926-6404

 

Twitter: @SAEditorsForum

Media Freedom

MMA 2019 Isu Elihle Awards Winner

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On Saturday, 1st of February 2020, Media Monitoring Africa (MMA) announced the 2019 lsu Elihle Awards winner live on SABC news. “Isu Elihle is an isiZulu phrase that means a “Great Idea” when translated to English, the Awards were launched in 2016 and has been running for four years.

The Awards aim to encourage fresh reporting, innovative approaches and insightful investigations that seek to give children a voice and elevate the status of the child all over Africa. In the past two years, the awards were open only for journalists in the Eastern and Southern Africa but from 2018, journalists from all over Africa were included.

We are excited to announce the winners:

1st prize and winner of the 2019 Awards go to Thomas Otieno Bwire, who is an Early Childhood development Journalist from Habari Kibra in Kenya. The overall winner of this year’s organisation’s lsu Elihle Awards is Thomas Bwire, who is awarded for his in-depth coverage of the conditions that children in the Kibera slums are forced to live in. He says the lack of open spaces in the area has led to children not having any place to play, this is bad because play is an important part of each child’s development. Children were also given a voice to reveal how this affects them. Bwire receives a cash prize of ZAR25, 000 after being ranked the overall winner by a panel of judges who are media practitioners. The judges commented on his reporting by saying, ”it is an excellent story that engages those who are involved (children) and seeks out solutions “.

The second prize of ZAR15 000 goes to Jamaine Krige & Yeshiel Panchia for their four-part series titled, “Scatterings, undocumented, unaccompanied foreign children in South Africa” which was published on Al Jezeera. They looked at the issue of foreign children who arrive in South Africa alone. They explore the lives of these children and how they struggle to get an education in South Africa due to lack of documents. The judges commented on their series saying, “it is a great feature which highlights statelessness, xenophobia, the lack of identity, lack of access to education as a result of
being undocumented. The series could have strived to engage more in-depth with those who are in power.”

The 3rd prize of ZAR10 000 goes to Athandiwe Saba for her story about education behind bars. It looked at how some children in the criminal justice system struggle to access education and how this can affect their future. The article “The cracks children fall into when they are in conflict with the law”, was published in the Mail & Guardian newspaper. The judges commented on her in-depth reporting saying, “it is a great story which looks at how most children behind bars are unable to access quality education”.

However there was no Mandy Roussouw category winner this year, even though the stories were great, the powerful were not held accountable in their stories. The Isu Elihle Awards 2020 application date will be announced soon, we call upon journalists from all over Africa to enter the awards. Congratulations to all the winners!

For more information contact:

Isu Elihle Project Coordinator Girlie Sibanda

Email: [email protected]

Tel: 011 788 1278

Access to Information & Regulatory

Working Towards Universal Internet Access And Digital Equality In South Africa

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As the world recognises and respects the International Day of Universal Access to Information on the 28th of September key media groups are celebrating the day by releasing a report that sets out a seven-point plan that can ensure Internet access for all in South Africa.

Media bodies include the South African National Editors’ Forum (SANEF), the IABSA (Interactive Advertising Bureau of South Africa) Media Monitoring Africa and the Association for Progressive Communication (APC).“While we have much to celebrate, in terms of our access to information legislation, the digital divide continues to undermine our democracy.  It is critical that we have a plan that government, public independent bodies, the private sector, civil society and the public can all get behind and help close the digital divide,” said Chris Borain, IABSA chair. The report that is being launched outlines 7 core elements, founded on a Human Rights approach and has access to the internet for all as its core goal.  “All South Africans – and especially those who cannot afford it and other marginalised groups – need a daily first tranche of free internet access to exercise their basic human rights such as access to government services, participating in the digital economy, looking for jobs, online communication and for learners and students to access online educational resources. This is the only way to achieve universal access to information and digital equality for citizens, including the rural poor who have access to mobile phones,” said Koliwe Majama,  from APC. 

At the 2019 International Day for Universal Access to Information (IDUAI) in Pretoria, they expressed the need for a national effort to coordinate existing legislation, policies and initiatives to provide citizens with a basic level of universal free internet access.

The group noted that while the South African government has made domestic and international commitments to take steps towards achieving universal access to online information, these commitments cannot be achieved without providing for a level of free access, in particular for disadvantaged and marginalised groups who would otherwise not be able to enjoy internet access.

The report’s seven-point plan aims to assist the government with proposals to take steps towards progressively realising a basic level of universal free access to online information, both within the government itself and through engagements with private entities and other stakeholders.

The proposed plan endeavours to provide a comprehensive approach to universal and free internet access, from the gradual introduction of free municipal wifi as a basic service and access at other government sites, underpinned by a set of standards for free access, to digital literacy programmes.  Full details of these proposals are captured in the report and are summarised here.

The universal internet access proposals are part of a three-pronged approach to achieve the objectives as set out in the Promotion of Access to Information Act (2000), to “actively promote a society in which the people of South Africa have effective access to information to enable them to more fully exercise and protect all of their rights”

First, it must be made easier for citizens to use PAIA to access information. A major improvement in the law will be to make provision for pro-active disclosure of information, as prescribed by the African Model Law on Access to Information, published by the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights in 2013.  A major review and update of PAIA are required, beyond the current process to add clauses on party funding.

“The importance of access to information on our young democracy cannot be underestimated, it enables journalists to do their work, citizens to get the information they need and hold those in power accountable and it helps the government ensure they make evidence-based policy decisions.  While we may not be as far as would like in quashing the digital divide, there is no doubt that if we all work together, apply the principles on which our Constitution is based, not only can we ensure a more equitable country with access to the internet for all, but we can help stimulate our economy, ensure better service provision and deepen our democracy,” said Mahlatse Mahlase, SANEF chairperson.

The second issue – and a logical consequence of proactive disclosure – is for information holders and access to information activists to vigorously pursue the open data and open government agenda. As a founder member of the United Nations initiated Open Government Partnership (OGP), the South African government has already made ambitious commitments to establish open data portals, with projects ranging from Open Justice, Open Budget (such as the Vulekamali and Municipal Money data portals) and Open Elections, all of which are in different stages of implementation.  However, South Africa still needs to deliver on a number of commitments made in its OGP National Action Plan.

With all this information available online, the third requirement to ensure “effective access to information” as PAIA requires, is to provide universal access to the internet.   In 2016 the African Commission on Human and People’s Rights called on African governments to take legislative and other measures “to guarantee, respect and protect citizen’s right to freedom of information and expression through access to internet services”.“We believe the 7 point plan offers a practical and considered approach to realising internet access for all, for not only does it talk to clear strategies and approaches for internet access, it also ensures that access is accompanied by the provision of critical digital literacy skills and that there is also a plan to set out minimum standards as well as oversight and monitoring mechanisms.  We are thrilled to be launching this report on such an important day,” said William Bird, Director of Media Monitoring Africa.

 

For More information call:

  • Kate Skinner, Sanef, 082 926 6404
  • Izak Minnaar, Sanef, 082 412 8862
  • Paula Hulley, IABSA, 082 902 0432
  • William Bird, MMA, 082 887 1370
  • Koliwe Majama, APC, +263773619198