Faizel Patel, Radio Islam News – 27-11-2018

(Twitter: @FaizelPatel143)

The South African National Editors’ Forum says the banning of any media from any government function tantamount to censorship.

This comes after Minister of Women in the Presidency Bathabile Dlamini’s banned eNCA journalists from launch of the 16 Days of Activism for No Violence against Women and Children.

Dlamini’s communication team told the eNCA team covering the 16-days of activism campaign launch she’d only speak to the SABC because they knew the parameters.

This is not the only media house that have been targeted by politicians over the past month.

Sanef’s Mary Papayya says the 16-days of activism campaign is very pertinent to South Africa.

“From that perspective, it has also very serious consequences for the dissemination of information given that we have reached epidemic levels when it comes to violence against women.”

Papaya says the media is the lifeblood of any democracy.

“We encourage open and robust debate and we feel that going out to the public and maiming journalists and banning journalists does not dwell good for our democracy and it doesn’t do justice to what we are about as a country.”

Papayya says while political parties or other organisations may not want certain media houses at their functions, it raises questions about the impact the decision has on the country’s democracy.