Johannesburg - The SA National Editors’ Forum (Sanef) held a meeting with management of the Johannesburg Metro Police Department following the manhandling of journalists by metro officers in the CBD, the organisation said on Wednesday.
“The meeting took place on Monday after Sanef expressed concern about the conduct of members of JMPD who manhandled eNCA cameraman Pierre le Roux and Beeld photographer Cornel van Heerden outside the South Gauteng High Court last week,” the organisation said in a statement.
“Le Roux and Van Heerden had seen the JMPD members apprehending an alleged drunk driver and approached the scene to film for a story. A scuffle ensued and in the process Le Roux’s equipment was damaged. The journalists were physically prevented from doing their work.”
Sanef said the meeting was held to discuss means to improve relations between journalists and metro police officers. It added that managers assured Sanef that an investigation had been launched into the incident.
“eNCA editors Ben Said and Andries Cornelissen, who were present at the meeting, undertook to cooperate with the JMPD’s investigation into the matter.
Sanef will await the outcome of the investigation.”
JMPD spokesman Chief Superintendent Wayne Minnaar and Phumelelo Maphumulo, JMPD director of internal affairs, said preventing journalists from doing their work was not part of JMPD policy.
“They said the JMPD recognised the important role the media played in gathering and disseminating information in the public interest. The meeting agreed that a forum would be organised to enable JMPD members and senior journalists to share perspectives about each other’s’ roles,” concluded Sanef.
ANA