Cape Town - Members of Black First Land First staged a protest outside the home of Peter Bruce, the editor at large of the Tiso Blackstar Group, demanding that he report on "white monopoly capital" instead of "anti-Gupta" articles.
On Thursday morning, around 20 BLF members shouted slogans outside the house and reportedly made intimidating statements towards Bruce.
The slogan "land or death" was scrawled on the garage door of the house.
Bruce posted this video on Twitter:
The response to my column this morning. Outside my house.... pic.twitter.com/trERmxo5DQ
— Peter Bruce (@Bruceps) June 29, 2017
The BLF members' actions have been widely condemned on social media, with the South African Editors Forum (Sanef) tweeting that it condemned the intimidation and invasion of Bruce's privacy.
Sanef encouraged Bruce to take action against the protesters.
What has transpired outside @Bruceps's home is unacceptable & we encourage him to take action & report the perpetrators to the police
— SANEF (@SAEditorsForum) June 29, 2017
Sanef also strongly condemns the invasion of @Bruceps personal life as part of a cowardly act to silence him.
— SANEF (@SAEditorsForum) June 29, 2017
Media freedom is protected by the constitution and @Bruceps has exercised his right to express himself.
— SANEF (@SAEditorsForum) June 29, 2017
Sanef unreservedly condemns the intimidation and threats against journalist Peter Bruce. @Bruceps
— SANEF (@SAEditorsForum) June 29, 2017
It has since been reported that Tim Cohen, the editor of Business Day, was also assaulted by the BFLF members outside Bruce's home.
Fellow journalists and political commentators also shared their anger at the "protest" on social media:
Pictures of the thugs intimidating Peter Bruce outside his house. pic.twitter.com/PlcCElcgNr
— Eusebius McKaiser (@Eusebius) June 29, 2017
Intimidation of Peter Bruce by Zupta puppets is straight out of the failed state textbook. An attack on the free press is an attack on SA.
— Tom Eaton (@TomEatonSA) June 29, 2017
Proud of colleague Karima Brown for going to the house of Peter Bruce to show solidarity. Media freedom matters more than our differences. pic.twitter.com/1JmSwJPV8T
— Eusebius McKaiser (@Eusebius) June 29, 2017
An unprotected strike at the workplace is illegal...
THREATENING #PeterBruce outside his home is CRIMINAL 😡
— #UnityIsStrength (@sandinh011) June 29, 2017
I wonder how much airtime the Guptas paid #BLF for the #peterbruce protest action. #airtimefordaysbaba #gupta #myanc #eff
— Time4Action (@quakes24) June 29, 2017
#peterbruce writes about the Guptas in the morning and the BLF arrive in the afternoon at his house. Spot the connection for 50 points!
— francois van log (@francoisvanlog) June 29, 2017