Daily News case postponed

By Lance Guma
21 September 2005

The Administrative Court postponed indefinitely a hearing on the application by the banned Daily News to appeal the fact that the Media and Information Commission (MIC) has refused to licence them. Court officials told lawyers representing the paper that logistical problems had necessitated the delay and that they might announce a new hearing date next week.

Mordekai Mahlangu, a lawyer with the paper, said the MIC objected to the two assessors in the case because they were the same ones who helped Justice Michael Majuru in 2003. Majuru is the same judge who ruled in favour of the Daily News before government authorities forced him out of his job citing bias, and even publishing false stories about him in the state owned Herald.

Mahlangu says despite official statements there is no guarantee they will get a new hearing date next week. Constitutional Amendments passed last week nullifying court petitions relating to acquired farms have reduced the work load for the Administrative Court and there was no justification for any delays in the hearing of the Daily News appeal.