Solidariteit Blog

NEWS AGENCIES CAUTION S.AFRICA’S ZUMA OVER MEDIA FREEDOMS – Sapa

The world’s four biggest news agencies have voiced concerns to
South African President Jacob Zuma that controversial new
regulations for tighter media controls may hurt press freedoms.

Agence France-Presse (AFP), the Associated Press (AP), Bloomberg
and Reuters expressed concerns that plans for a media tribunal and
a new information bill could restrict their work and that of other
journalists.

“The media in South Africa and foreign reporters working in the
country told the world about the horrors of apartheid, despite
intimidation, attempts at censorship and attacks by the white-led
government,” the agencies wrote in a letter to Zuma.

“In lodging our concerns more than a decade and a half after
apartheid ended, we add our voices to those defending press freedom
and freedom of expression in South Africa and worldwide.”
South Africa’s ruling party is pushing for a media tribunal that
would impose legal penalties for bad reporting, while parliament is
considering a Protection of Information Bill that media groups say
would hamper investigative work.

The agencies said they feared the two measures could conflict
with South Africa’s constitutional commitments to press freedom and
freedom of expression and its commitment to democracy shown since
the end of apartheid in 1994.

“We fear the proposed law on protecting information could
restrict the free flow of information, even though it stipulates it
is not intended to allow officials to conceal information simply
because its publication might be embarrassing,” they said.

The bill makes broad provisions for classifying information on
“national security”. Publishing classified information would be
punishable by up to 25 years in jail.

“With regard to the call for a media appeals tribunal, we
believe it would undermine the media’s independence if the
tribunal were to answer to Parliament or any arm of government,”
the agencies said.

The letter, which was sent last Wednesday, welcomed Zuma’s call
for debate on media freedoms.

“We welcome the spirit of the letter and we will take it as part
of the engagement in terms of the debate that is going on now,”
said Zuma’s spokesman Zizi Kodwa.

South Africa’s media have slammed plans for new regulations as a
ploy to muzzle the press and protect corrupt officials.

International media watchdogs have also voiced concerns.