SABC News reports that the SA National Editors Forum (Sanef) joined journalists around the globe in celebrating World Press Freedom Day on Thursday. The day is held to celebrate press freedom, evaluate its status and recommit to defending attacks on journalists.
On Monday, ten journalists were killed in Kabul in Afghanistan in what Sanef described as the deadliest day for the media since 2001. Sanef also expressed concern at the increasing attacks on journalists, especially by communities during protests. Sanef chairperson Mahlatse Mahlase said: “Just last week an SABC crew, their equipment was damaged because community members’ don’t like the fact that media is doing their job, which is to expose them when there’s looting of shops like we saw in North West. So, ordinary people in South Africa must see media freedom as their right. It is not just the journalist being able to do their job. What we are doing, we are doing on their behalf. The Constitution protects their right to know. And it is the media that brings them that right to know.”
- This report by Tshepo Phagane and a related video clip are at SABC News
Get other news reports at the SA Labour News home page