By Lebone Rodah Mosima
The South African National Editors’ Forum (Sanef) has called on Patriotic Alliance (PA) leader and Sport, Arts and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie to withdraw his media boycott following reports that armed security personnel intimidated journalists during an election campaign in Westbury, Johannesburg.
The call follows an incident on Monday, when journalists covering a PA campaign walkabout were reportedly confronted by party supporters and armed security personnel who objected to being photographed.
In a statement on Tuesday, Sanef condemned McKenzie’s decision to stop party representatives and supporters from engaging with journalists because of what he said was “biased and negative media coverage”.
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The forum said McKenzie had also used TikTok to encourage party representatives to concentrate on campaigning rather than speaking to the media.
According to a report by Our City News, journalists Hannah Brown and James Oatway encountered hostility from PA members while covering McKenzie’s campaign walkabout near Westbury Clinic.
The publication reported that party members shouted objections to the media’s presence before McKenzie intervened and explained the party’s decision.
“I’m not trying to stop you from doing your job,” McKenzie told the journalists.
“But we feel the media is biased against us. They are only reporting negative things, so we took the decision yesterday to ban the media.”
McKenzie reportedly said the decision was “nothing personal” and that journalists could continue taking photographs, although party representatives would no longer give interviews.
However, Our City News reported that two men carrying semi-automatic assault rifles accompanied the PA delegation, with some security personnel wearing party T-shirts bearing the slogan “we are ready for war”.
Despite McKenzie’s assurance that photographs could be taken, the publication said armed men repeatedly objected to being photographed.
One reportedly approached photographer Oatway and shouted: “You have been warned not to take photographs of us.”
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Sanef said McKenzie and the PA were entitled to challenge reporting they considered inaccurate or unfair, including by lodging complaints with the Press Council.
But it warned that political criticism did not justify measures that could undermine journalists’ ability to report freely.
“As a Cabinet minister, McKenzie has sworn to uphold the Constitution,” Sanef said.
“Section 16 protects freedom of expression, including media freedom and everyone’s freedom to receive or impart information and ideas.”
While political parties are entitled to appoint spokespersons and decline interview requests, they cannot prevent journalists from accessing public political meetings or intimidate them while they are carrying out their duties.
Section 8 of the Electoral Code of Conduct requires political parties and candidates to respect the role of the media before, during and after elections.
It also prohibits parties from preventing journalists from accessing public political meetings, marches, demonstrations and rallies, and requires reasonable steps to protect journalists against harassment, intimidation, threats and physical assault by party representatives or supporters.
Speaking to CapeTalk on Wednesday, Sanef secretary-general Professor Glenda Daniels criticised the PA’s treatment of journalists and warned that political parties had obligations under the Electoral Code.
“What he’s doing is just plain ridiculous. I mean, it’s uncalled for,” Daniels said.
She said political leaders who disputed media coverage could approach the Press Council or the Broadcasting Complaints Commission of South Africa rather than attempt to exclude journalists.
