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The South African National Editors’ Forum (SANEF) is deeply concerned that a News24 journalist has been allegedly subject to illegal surveillance and interception from the Crime Intelligence (CI) division which is a worrying trend, internationally, of targeting journalists to curtail factual and honest news coverage.
News24 informed SANEF that their lawyer had sent a letter to the acting head of the CI Lieutenant-General Yolisa Mokgabudi, demanding that “those within Crime Intelligence participating in these activities, immediately be ordered to cease all further unlawful interception of News24 journalists’ communication, their surveillance and/or general intimidation”.
According to News24 its investigative journalist Jeff Wicks has allegedly been “followed and his communications” allegedly intercepted due to his coverage of the “internal turf” struggles inside the CI. They allege that other journalists may also be under surveillance.
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The South African National Editors’ Forum (SANEF) has learnt with great sadness of the passing of journalist Karima Brown after suffering Covid-19 complications.
Brown, who hosted ‘The Fix’ on eNCA and was a well-known political commentator, had been hospitalised for several weeks in the intensive care unit after contracting Covid-19. She held many senior positions in the South African media industry, including a senior producer at SAfm current affairs, political editor at Business Day and executive editor for the Independent Group.
Her death follows a tragic death of four journalists in one week in January also due to COVID-19 complications. It was Sunday Independent news editor and investigative journalist Solly Maphumulo; Former Cape Argus photographer Enver Essop; resource coordinator in the SABC newsroom in KZN, Ismail Jinnah, and senior political journalist Knowledge Simelane of Ilanga Newspaper in KwaZulu-Natal.
Jacque Pauw
The South African National Editor’s Forum (SANEF) is deeply concerned and disappointed by the ethical breaches in the opinion piece by veteran investigative journalist Jacques Pauw, published by the Daily Maverick last Friday.
This development highlights the bitter struggles of integrity and ethics the media is grappling with. SANEF is preparing to hold its upcoming Media Ethics and Credibility Summit in an effort to strengthen media integrity and credibility, and to regain the public’s trust.
These very problematic incidents cause the public to doubt the media’s credibility and further erode the fragile relationship between law enforcement and the media.
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The South African National Editors’ Forum (SANEF) at its first Council meeting for 2021 has called on the State Capture Inquiry led by Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo to divulge the names of journalists who were paid by the country’s intelligence agencies where there is evidence to back this up.
SANEF has taken firm decisions to promote freedom of expression, ethical and transparent journalism.
A major point of discussion was on the recent allegations of journalists being used as spies to further the agenda of the State Security Agency (SSA). Members again noted the admission of African News Agency (ANA) CEO Vasantha Angamuthu that they accepted money from the State Security Agency (SSA) to “provide multi-media training for SSA analysts and interns across Africa” and to carry positive stories about South Africa and the government.