Post date: Sep 29, 2010 11:54:11 AM
South Africa's President tells the European Parliament that the the ruling party will not back down from investigating the possibility of establishing Media Appeals Tribunals criticised as measures to muzzle the media.
BRUSSELS, BELGIUM (SEPTEMBER 29, 2010) EBS -
South African President Jacob Zuma answered questions in Brussels on Wednesday (September 29) from Members of the European Parliament who said they were concerned about the ruling party's plan to install media tribunals.
The ANC has proposed Media Appeals Tribunals arguing that the national ombudsman did not have enough teeth to protect citizens against media abuses.
But opposition against the tribunal is growing with South Africa's media saying it threatens their freedom to report.
A petition against the tribunal has been launched and international media watchdog Reporters Without Borders said las week it represented a "dramatic step backwards".
Zuma said the ruling party was not passing a bill but only investigating at this stage.
"We said let us investigate and it is that decision that says let us investigate that has been attacked as if we are now promulgating a law. We wanted the participation of the media itself. The reason is that the manner in which the media reports does affect the rights of citizens in South Africa in one way or another"
"We are saying let us investigate. Because if you take the matter, for an example, of an ombudsman. No matter how aggrieved you are, the ombudsman, in the majority of cases says to the particular media : apologise. If I feel for any reason the apology is not sufficient because I have been aggrieved what must I do? There is is nothing you can do. And I am a citizen of this country, I cant exercise my right. We then say there must be a recourse, there must be an appeal thing. We are not even, what we are talking about, we are not talking about a structure that is going to start looking at the issues. It is actually as a recourse if, as a citizen, I am not satisfied. We think we are correct and we are debating the matter. We, the ruling party, fought for the right and freedom of the media" Zuma said.
South African journalists fear this is no more than a means of silencing the press which has recently exposed official corruption.
But Zuma accused the media of abusing their power adding that the ruling party was determined to carry out these investigations.
"We, the ruling party, fought for the right and freedom of the media and we say and have been saying we defend it to the end. But it cannot be abused, that freedom cannot be abused. That is the only institution that is not regulated by the way, that is self regulated. Every other thing, including members of parliament, are regulated , who are elected by the people. Why should they have this endless right, this blank cheque almost? Which (sp) they have used appropriately. That is our argument and we are engaging in a discussion on that," Zuma said.
It is not only MEPs who are concerned, four of the worlds most prominent news agencies AFP, AP, Bloomberg and Reuters have written to Zuma to express concern saying a tribunal could seriously restrict freedom.