Johannesburg - The South African National Editors’ Forum (Sanef) has criticised an unannounced visit by SAPS officers to The Star, saying the “only possible interpretation” was that it was an attempt to intimidate the newspaper and its reporters.
Two officers from Hillbrow police station arrived at The Star on Wednesday and asked editor Makhudu Sefara to provide a warning statement to the police about the newspaper’s “battle with Pikitup”.
Sefara declined to co-operate and referred the detectives to the newspaper’s lawyers.
The Star has been leading reportage about allegations of corruption and fraud at the City of Joburg’s waste management company, Pikitup, based on a forensic report the paper had seen.
Pikitup managing director Amanda Nair has now launched a two-pronged attack on The Star, by laying criminal charges of theft of the forensic report against the newspaper and launching a high court application for the return of the report.
The Sunday Times received a similar unannounced visit last week, during which police demanded the return of the copy of the report legally acquired by the newspaper. The newspaper’s lawyer was called to the meeting, and the police team left after a robust discussion.
Senior Sunday Times staff declared the visit as intimidatory and inappropriate.
Police returned by appointment on Monday to take a statement in which the Sunday Times emphasised that the report was legally acquired and would not be surrendered.
Although it is within Pikitup’s constitutional right to approach the courts or any other regulatory body/rights to take action - provided it is lawful - if the agency believes it has been wronged, it is also the public’s right to know if public funds were squandered by the agency, and the media’s right and duty to expose such wrongdoing, Sanef media freedom chairman Adriaan Basson said.
“The SAPS cannot arrive unannounced at a newspaper’s office and demand warning statements from journalists without even informing the editor about the basis of the complaint. The only possible interpretation of this visit is that it was an attempt to intimidate The Star and its reporters,” he said.
Sanef will express its deep concern about the conduct of police officers to the office of the national police commissioner, General Riah Phiyega.
The Star