Sanef concerned over journalists’ mental health and quality of journalism, following a string of retrenchments

Johnathan Paoli

THE South African National Editors’ Forum (Sanef) has expressed its concern over the new rounds of retrenchments at various media houses, and said that it was leading to fewer journalists in newsrooms, and thus less diversity and plurality of voices in the country.

Sanef spokesperson Sbu Ngalwa said that of equal concern over the quality of journalism, was the matter concerning the mental wellness of journalists and other media staff.

“As the media, we take the role we play in our constitutional democracy seriously, hence the continued retrenchments of journalists should concern every citizen,” Ngalwa said.

Ngalwa said while Sanef did acknowledge that retrenchments were sometimes inevitable – as media houses struggle to survive – they call on media house owners to treat journalists fairly and with respect during this process.

“The spectre of retrenchments is not good news for the media industry, which will go on to