Roundup: Growing calls for end to black journalist oppression in S. Africa

The Communication Workers Union (CWU) of South Africa on Thursday added its voice to growing calls for an end to black journalist oppression and exploitation.

"The exploitation of journalist in general and black journalist in particular is rife in the industry," the union said.

This came after Steve Motale, the only black Chief Editor at The Citizen newspaper, was suspended after a damning investigation into former Finance Minister Trevor Manuel, current Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan and African National Congress (ANC) Chief Whip Jackson Mthembu was published in the paper a few weeks ago.

It appears that Motale has been accused of having a personal vendetta against Manuel, who is white, and of running a campaign against him.

Motale has been regarded as one of the few black voices in the industry who upheld the principles of diversity and impartiality.

Motale's suspension once again pointed to the lack of transformation in the media sector, the CWU said.

In the past recent days, the CWU and several civil groups have led marches to The Citizen newspaper headquarters in Johannesburg, with an aim to fight against black journalist oppression, exploitation and against lack of transformation in the media sector.

"We are now certain that this matter will gain momentum as we will be taking the battle to all media houses to advance our transformational agenda," the CWU said.

It called on the private media to stop censorship and bias media reporting that favours business in general.

"We therefore call for the reinstatement of Mr Steve Motale to his position to continue to service our people. We further call for Citizen management to move swiftly in addressing the issue of victimization of black journalist," the CWU said.

Motale's suspension has prompted the ANC to call on Parliament to accelerate the implementation of the resolution for the establishment of a Media Appeals Tribunal.

"Under the guise of freedom of speech, our media tramples on the constitutional rights of others and in itself begins to constitute the real threat to media freedom, diversity and democracy," ANC national spokesperson Zizi Kodwa said.

"A largely untransformed media, as we have in South Africa, is an offensive against progressive values and ideas," Kodwa noted.

The ANC condemns in the harshest possible terms interference by vested interests in the functioning of the newsrooms and the stifling of editorial independence to drive predetermined agendas, Kodwa said.

The ANC proposed the Media Appeals Tribunal in 2010, building on a resolution adopted at the party's 2007 National Conference. The ANC argues that the current avenues individuals can pursue in order to right a media wrong, litigation and complaining to the Press Ombudsman, are inadequate. Endit