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SANEF AGM, Winners announced for the Nat Nakasa Award & Wrottesley Award
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2009 NAT Nakasa Award Dinner
President of South Africa, Mr. Jacob Zuma will be the key note speaker at the South African National Editors' Forum (SANEF) AGM and Nat Nakasa Awards Dinner on Saturday, 27 June 2009 in Durban. The event the highlight of SANEF's AGM proceedings is being held in Kwazulu-Natal – the home of President Zuma. This will be the first interaction between President Jacob Zuma and SANEF since he was inaugurated President of South Africa in May 2009. The theme of Sanef's AGM is Journalism – The next 10 years.
Photographers and Journalists must RSVP their attendance urgently with Sanef’s Executive Director, Femida Mehtar on 084 784 2006.
South African National Editors' Forum Press Statement
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Send in your Nominations for the 2009 Nat Nakasa Awards –click here
Call for nominations of the 2009 SANEF-WROTTESLEY AWARD
Deadline Date: 12 June 2009
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Sanef Statement May 10 2009
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Helpful Guidelines For Journalists Covering The Election Prepared By The SA National Editors’ Forum
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SANEF welcomes Indian Premier League decision on removal of limitations on media coverage
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South African Editors Call For End to Control on IPL Photo-News
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SANEF welcomes court ruling that Hlophe hearings at JSC must be open to public
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SA National Editors' Forum Press Statement
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South African National Editors' Forum Press Statement released after February 08, 2009 Council Meeting
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South African National Editors' Forum (SANEF) welcomes President Motlanthe’s decision on the Film & Publications A/B
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South African National Editors' Forum Press Statement - SANEF celebrates 60th anniversary of the UN Human Rights Declaration
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South African National Editors' Forum (SANEF) Press Statement following Council Meeting in KwaZulu-Natal
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South African National Editors' Forum Press Statement re: Concern over university curbing freedom of expression
Sanef expresses concern at the growing cult among institutions to try to curb freedom of expression by instituting disciplinary
action against employees for criticising conditions at those institutions.
Sanef has learned that the University of KwaZulu/Natal (UKZN) has instituted disciplinary proceedings against two of
its professors, Nithaya Chetty (Physics) and John van den Berg (Mathematics), following statements they made which were
reported in the media and in an e-mail posting and which were highly critical of the conduct of Vice Chancellor
Professor Malegapuru Makgoba.
The two professors were interviewed in several newspapers, including the Mail and Guardian,
earlier this year about their unhappiness with the way in which Makgoba allegedly blocked
Senate's consideration of a Faculty of Science and Agriculture document on the state of
academic freedom in the University.
The professors are now being charged with having failed to exercise due care in communicating
with the media and for having released confidential senate information, as well as dishonesty
and/or gross negligence.
Sanef contrasts these charges with the recommendations of a recently released report on institutional
autonomy and academic freedom in South Africa, written by a Task Team established by the Council
on Higher Education (CHE), where the proposition is made that if academic freedom is to be realised,
higher education institutions must “protect the freedom of expression of academics...
from undue sanction by their own institution”. It adds that “Senates, as institutional
bodies, are bound to uphold the right of individual academics to freedom of expression
ight to criticise their employers - in this instance the employers were the SA National
Defence Force (SANDF), which normally tries to ensure secrecy about its conduct.
Sanef has no intention of interfering in the issue which is the subject of the disciplinary
hearings, but is deeply concerned about the effects of such disciplinary proceedings on media
freedom and of access to, and the dissemination of, information about conduct in public
institutions which is in the public interest.
Sanef has noted with concern there have been other cases where employees have been punished
for speaking to the media about matters related to their employment conditions -
material which is normally openly aired at trade union or professional institution meetings
- and on the effect the punishments have on the flow of information.
One result is that employees stop voicing their complaints - leading to an unacceptable drying up
of sources of information and thus public interest issues being kept secret. Another outcome
is that such people supply information on the strict condition that their identities are
protected by the media which leads to an undesirable increase in stories based on
information from confidential sources.
Sanef underlines that academic freedom is an essential support for the maximum exercise of
Constitutional freedom of expression by the media and people generally. Universities must
diligently carry out a principled commitment to academic freedom - and thus the disclosure
of public interest information.
Sanef has noted the punishment meted out to a student at a Western Cape educational institution
for supplying information to a newspaper about improper conduct by students on campus, disciplinary
action against “whistle- blowers” and, indeed, the dismissal of a journalist for disclosing
conduct in a newsroom.
Issued by: SA National Editors' Forum (SANEF)
Statement On The Government And Sanef Meeting On 01 November 2008
A Government delegation led by President Kgalema Motlanthe today met a delegation from the South African National
Editors’ Forum (SANEF) in Pretoria today to discuss legislation affecting the media.
The SANEF delegation was led by its Chairperson, Jovial Rantao.
President Motlanthe opened the meeting by affirming the important role of media in our society and committing government
to work closely with SANEF to resolve any differences that may arise.
The meeting discussed the Film and Publications Bill which has been sent to the President to be signed into law.
Government and SANEF agreed that all efforts should be made to resolve the differences before resorting to litigation.
After listening to presentations from both Government and the media, the President agreed to apply his mind before
assigning the Bill into law. He would also seek legal counsel about the constitutionality of the Bill.
The meeting discussed SANEF’s opposition to what it considers “media unfriendly laws”, with particular reference to
compulsory disclosure of sources outlined in section 205 of the Criminal Procedures Act.
It was agreed that a colloquium would be fast-tracked by GCIS and SANEF on the matter and the Minister of
Justice and Constitutional
Development would actively seek other means to allow SANEF to engage the legislative process.
The future of the Presidential Press Corps was discussed. There was a joint commitment to the
establishment of a functional Presidential Press Corps in terms of the need for regular high-level
engagement by the President and Cabinet with the media.
The President gave an undertaking to start this process by giving regular briefings to the media.
Government and SANEF committed themselves to an in-depth engagement between on the longer term strategic issues faced
by both government and the media in the building of a better South Africa.
JOINTLY ISSUED BY THE SA NATIONAL EDITORS’ FORUM (SANEF) & GOVERNMENT COMMUNICATIONS (GCIS)
01 November 2008
22 October 2008
Statement by the South African National Editors' Forum (Sanef) - Withdrawal of Protection of Information Bill
The SA National Editors' Forum welcomes the withdrawal by the parliamentary Ad-Hoc Portfolio Committee on Intelligence of the Protection of Information Bill to which Sanef vigorously objected during the committees' public hearings.
The Ad-Hoc Committee has stated that it had reached an impasse on the proposed treatment of private intelligence companies in the Protection of Information Bill and decided that too much work needed to be done on the Bill and the time left in the parliamentary term was insufficient to enable this to be achieved.
Consequently it has withdrawn the Bill but plans to introduce it in the new parliament next year.
Sanef's objections to the Bill were that the provisions were too broad, related the protection of information to the national interest rather than national security interests and indeed encompassed practically every conceivable activity or conduct under the broad mantle of protecting the national interest. It paid scant attention to the Constitutional ethos that SA should strive to be an open, transparent and accountable society and that classification of documents as secret should be described in the narrowest of terms.
Sanef presented the view that the legislation should be fashioned to pursue the principles of the Promotion of Access to Information Act by protecting the right to the widest possible access to information and where there is a requirement for preventing disclosure of information this should be on the narrowest of grounds, clearly defined with set limitations on the extent of secrecy. The Bill should also place high value on the disclosure of information in the public interest as distinct from the far more limited concept of the national interest.
Though welcoming the withdrawal of the Bill, Sanef believes that before it is presented again to parliament there should be extensive consultation with the media to ensure that the broad principles outlined above are adhered to. Sanef believes there was insufficient consultation with interests likely to be affected by the Bill before it was presented to parliament.
Media Freedom Day
This Month has a special day which will always be remembered in the hearts of the media.
Media Freedom Day is October 19th and to commemorate this day SANEF will participate
in a Johannesburg event scheduled for October 15, 2008 and an event in Stellenbosch
on October 16th 2008.
SANEF will launch The Extraordinary Editor – a handbook for media leaders in Johannesburg on October 15, 2008 and in Stellenbosch on October 16th 2008.
SANEF Press Statement - Media Freedom Day
October 19 1977 was the darkest day in the history of the media in South Africa. On that day, the apartheid
state machinery launched a total onslaught on the media, banning several publications and journalists.
As a country, we have come a long way. We now have a democratic Constitution which also guarantees media freedom.
There is no doubt that the media in this country is among one of the most free in the world. We should celebrate
that. However, we should also remain eternally vigilant to ensure that our hard-won media freedom is not sacrificed
on the altar of political expediency.
We have observed with sadness a clear movement to reverse some of the gains we have secured in promoting a free media.
Some of the unfortunate developments include the passing by parliament of the Film and Publications Amendment Bill.
As Sanef, we have raised objections to certain clauses that impede media freedom but these have not been heeded.
As a last resort, we have requested the President not to sign the Bill into law. There is also the Protection of
Information bill, currently before Parliament. If passed into law, these two pieces of legislation will undermine
the gains that the SA media has secured.
As Sanef, we are also concerned about talk in the corridors of power about setting up a Media Appeals Tribunal.
We are also concerned about the incitement of the population by certain leaders to regard the media with suspicion.
While criticism of any institution is normal and should actually be cherished in any democracy, uninformed attacks
on the media threatens the freedom of expression and the free flow of information.
As part of SANEF’s MFIYF Campaign, SANEF will jointly host with the IAJ on October 15, 2008 a Media Freedom event,
where the editors’ handbook – edited by Professor Guy Berger and Elizabeth Barratt, will also be launched.
On October 16 the editors’ handbook will be launched at a Media in Africa event in Stellenbosch.
MFIYF – Media Freedom is Your Freedom
Issued by: SA National Editors' Forum (SANEF)
Winner of the 2008 SANEF Wrottesley Award
Raymond Louw receiving the Wrottesley Award for a second time.
Standing next to Raymond are Mary Papayya (left) and Jovial Rantao (right)
SANEF MEDIA STATEMENT FOLLOWING SANEF COUNCIL MEETING IN GRAHAMSTOWN
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SANEF September Council Meeting in Grahamstown
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SANEF Women's Day Banquet with the Deputy President on Wednesday August 15, 2007 in Durban, South Africa.
To view photos taken at the Banquet, click here
SA Editors meet Editors from Africa and the rest of the world at the 2007 WAN/WEF conference in Cape Town from 03 - 07 June 2007.
To view photos taken at the Meeting, click here
Case against arrested journalist thrown out of court
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