South Africa’s press freedom under threat

By Tererai Karimakwenda
30 January 2007

Veteran South African journalist John Perlman resigned Monday from the state broadcaster SABC. Press reports say Perlman's resignation was fuelled by an unofficial policy at SABC that excludes certain commentators from being interviewed, including Zimbabweans such as Archbishop Pius Ncube. What also helped his decision was the fact that his co-presenter on Safm, Nikiwe Bikitsha, was leaving.

The respected journalist had confronted SABC’s spokesperson on the air about the so-called blacklist, and refused to go along with SABC’s official statement on the issue. For Zimbabweans, the SABC saga reminds them of home where repressive media laws and a climate of fear exists. The Mail & Guardian report said a commission of enquiry ordered by SABC chief executive Dali Mpofu to investigate found “there was an atmosphere of fear in the SABC newsrooms, which was not conducive to journalistic independence.” Among those on the blacklist are Business Day political editor Karima Brown, political analysts Aubrey Matshiqi, Moeletsi Mbeki and Zimbabwean newspaper publisher Trevor Ncube, who is also the chief executive of the Mail & Guardian.

South Africa based Zimbabwean activist Elinor Sisulu is one of the commentators that journalists at SABC were instructed not to interview. Sisulu said she is concerned about these developments in South Africa. She explained that journalists were told she does not give accurate information about Zimbabwe and she is not well informed because she is not on the ground there. The outspoken activist said this is exactly what happens in Zimbabwe, where the ruling party runs the press.

According to Sisulu the fact that SABC’s news manager Snuki Zikala is a big supporter of Robert Mugabe became clear when he interviewed him after Zimbabwe’s presidential elections. She is also concerned that there is only one reporter doing news on Zimbabwe for SABC and there has been very little shown about the suffering of Zimbabweans. Sisulu expressed deep concern about the whole region, saying SABC has a responsibility to inform South Africans about the people migrating into their country. She believes accurate information helps minimise xenophobia.