The Real Legacy of Mandela?

Lenny Lovett

Considering that the main South African Newspapers are owned by The Irish Independent, I'm surprised the continuing battle against curbs on Press Freedom in South Africa gets zero coverage here in Ireland.

From today's Cape Argus (Cape Town):

Members of the Democratic Alliance (DA) and other civil organisations have arrived at the Constitutional Court in central Johannesburg.
They have marched there to show opposition to the proposed media appeals tribunal, as well as the Protection of Information Bill.
Several hundred DA supporters in bright blue t-shirts have marched from Parktown to the Constitutional Court to show opposition to a perceived clamp down on media freedom.
The march was more organised than most with custom-made shirts, large printed placards, a make-shift stage for the speeches and even a choir.
As they walked passed they sang songs and blew vuvuzelas, carrying signs reading “No to Apartheid censorship. Yes to media freedom.”
The march took about an hour and speeches were delivered by DA leader Helen Zille, Patricia de Lille and the party’s youth leader Makashule Gana.

Zille said the bill would do nothing but hide the government’s corruption under a blanket of national security.
She called the proposed media appeals tribunal and the Protection of Information Bill “evil”, saying the government is taking the country back to Apartheid.


De Lille also delivered a fiery speech, saying she would be in jail right now if she exposed the Arms Deal the proposed media laws were in place.


The leaders said that if the law is passed, they would challenge them at the Constitutional Court.

PeterIanStaker

If they're owned by the Indo, why are you suprised? Par for the course I'd imagine, probably slavishly on the side of the SA equvalent of Fianna Fail too.

Lenny Lovett

Maybe. But it was a Cape Times (Independent Newspapers) Journo who kicked off the whole business by dropping the former Western Cape Premier in the sh1t by revealing that he (Journo) had been planting positive stories in the Cape Times and The Argus in an attempt to show the Premier in a more positive light. His Editor then went to the High Court and The Parliament and kicked off a storm which prompted the Government to try and implement the new law. I just find it sad that those News organisations who were so instrumental in booting out the Apartheid Government for this kind of thing haven't the same principles this time around. It's the poor people on the ground who are suffering... Again!

Lenny Lovett

From Today's Cape Argus:

The SA National Editors' Forum (Sanef) called on the police on Thursday to apologise for detaining two photographers and a cameraman at the court appearance of an alleged rhino poaching syndicate.
“The SA National Editors' Forum is shocked at the arrest of three press photographers and the manhandling of one of them,” Sanef said in a statement.
It said it raised questions about the government's motives, especially when considered within the context of the draft Protection of Information Bill, which could see journalists ending up in jail for publishing classified information, even in the public interest.
“It is difficult to avoid concluding that there is a determined authoritarian plan by the government and its officials to severely restrict the publication of news and information and a heavy clampdown on the public's right to know,” said Sanef.
Sapa photographer Werner Beukes, Beeld photographer Herman Verwey and SABC cameraman Lewellyn Carstens were held for 45
minutes at the Musina police station on Wednesday morning.
They were taking pictures of a group of people accused of being members of a rhino poaching ring.
The police eventually released them after intervention from the National Prosecuting Authority.
“Sanef condemns the police conduct, especially as it follows numerous serious complaints to national Police Commissioner Bheki Cele about such intolerable, if not illegal treatment being meted out by the police to photographers and journalists for no reason.
“Sanef calls for an apology from the police to the photographers and the firm assurance that police will be ordered to cease these attacks on journalists and that those who act in this way will be severely punished.” -
Sapa

Lenny Lovett

From www.ewn.co.za

Journalists and members of civil society marched from the University of Witwatersrand’s Senate House to Constitution Hill in the Johannesburg city centre today (Tuesday) against the controversial protection of information bill.

Journalists, businesses and civil society have warned that should government pass the proposed bill into law, it will allow officials to sweep corruption under the carpet.

Reporters would face jail time should they report on information deemed classified.
The Freedom of Expression Institute has urged South Africans to get involved in the fight for media freedom.

“If we don’t, we are in danger of allowing some of our freedom, our very basic freedoms to be undermined and eroded,” the FXI’s Ayesha Kajee said.
The marchers taped their mouths shut to symbolise the bill’s impact on freedom of access to information. They were heading for the Constitutional Court, carrying placards describing the protection of access to information bill as an apartheid-style piece of legislation.
Police kept a close eye on the group as they make their way through the streets of Braamfontein.
Meanwhile, also speaking at Wits, former Education Minister Kader Asmal has also come out strongly against the bill.
He has been addressing a gathering to mark freedom of expression.
Asmal has slammed those who are trying to censor the media.
He said the protection of information bill would never hold up to the Constitution.
Asmal said under the bill of rights, it is government’s job to protect freedom of information and speech.
He has stressed the importance of robust debate between the media and government and said newspapers must guard against self-censorship.