Parliament – There was a severe disconnect between government and the media about its role in South African society, with journalists believing their job was to criticise a black, ANC-led administration, Communications Minister Faith Muthambi told Parliament on Friday.
“On the one hand government has taken a view that media is a partner and consequently lined up a whole strategy and delivery mechanism on this false premise,” Muthambi said in her speech opening her department’s budget vote debate.
She said government’s understanding of the relationship saw it hold regular briefings, including those on Cabinet meetings that generally provided the media with “no less than 10 pages of insightful content” on government business.
“Notwithstanding these, our media would rather focus on scandalising government even if that means not getting all the facts right. To some media houses their main mission is simply to paint this Government as corrupt, hapless and inept.
“It could also be argued that racist tendencies also play a role in the unrelenting attempts aimed at stigmatising a black government led by the African National Congress. It has now become common cause that the independence and professionalism of many journalists are now measured on how ruthless their reporting can be about this ANC-led government.”
Muthambi then reiterated her call for regulation of the media by the State and said this must extend to media ownership to ensure transformation.
“Media transformation will in this regard, amongst others, be made to address not only print media ownership, but also the ownership of printing press, the measurement of circulation, distribution channels and the assessment of regulatory instruments to regulate the affairs of media practitioners.”
Responding to the minister, Democratic Alliance communications spokeswoman Phumzile van Damme said Muthambi was running a propaganda department and taking South Africa back to the apartheid tradition of state control of the media.
She recalled that the white regime appointed the board members of the SABC and determined its editorial policy, adding: “Sound familiar minister?
“The drafters of the Constitution intended this never to happen again…Because the ANC is under pressure at the polls…the government now seeks to exert full control over South Africa’s public broadcasting and print media.”
The media formally protested over the quality of fortnightly briefings on Cabinet decisions after Presidency Minister Jeff Radebe failed to disclose the decision late last year to proceed with procurement processes to acquire new nuclear plants.
Muthambi has been at odds with members both of the opposition and the ANC over her insistence that the removal of ANC board members last year had been done lawfully. It is alleged that their axing was, at least in part, a purge of members critical of the SABC’s contentious chief operations officer Hlaudi Motsoeneng, a close ally of the minister.
African News Agency
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