eNCA pulls out of EFF elective conference

EFF national chairperson Dali Mpofu, treasurer-general Leigh-Ann Mathys, president Julius Malema, deputy president Floyd Shivambu, secretary-general Godrich Gardee and Deputy Secretary Hlengiwe Hlophe-Maxon at the second NPA in Nasrec. Picture: Itumeleng English/African News Agency(ANA)

EFF national chairperson Dali Mpofu, treasurer-general Leigh-Ann Mathys, president Julius Malema, deputy president Floyd Shivambu, secretary-general Godrich Gardee and Deputy Secretary Hlengiwe Hlophe-Maxon at the second NPA in Nasrec. Picture: Itumeleng English/African News Agency(ANA)

Published Dec 14, 2019

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Johannesburg - The eNCA has on Saturday announced that it is pulling out of covering the EFF elective conference in Nasrec Expo Centre, Johannesburg. 

The 24-hour new channel said its decision to recall its new team from the conference was in reaction to EFF’s decision to ban Daily Maverick, Scorpio, amaBhungane and Rapport from the event.

“eNCA has pulled its editorial and technical team from the conference in Johannesburg.

“Editor Jeremy Maggs says the EFF's decision is an attack on media freedom in the country and must be condemned in the strongest possible terms,” read a short story published by channel's online.

Outgoing EFF national chairperson Advocate Dali Mpofu had during an interview with the eNCA justified his party’s decision to block some journalists from covering its all important event. Mpofu said journalist from amaBhungane and the Daily Maverick, Scorpio and Rapport were not real journalists. 

“What we are stopping are people who have a political interest, and who have expressed political interest. 

“For an example we would not have the DA covering the EFF conference,” he said.

He said all the journalists who were allowed into the conference had criticised the party “sometimes unfairly”. He said the party would draw the line when it comes to people who have taken a political posture.

Radio 702 had also reported on its website that Daily Maverick was threatening to go to court to force the EFF to lift its ban on the affected media houses. The station said journalists who represented the banned media houses had been granted accreditation to cover the conference. 

"We, at Daily Maverick, believe that the EFF’s ‘ban’ is unconstitutional and intend to test it in court in the new year,'' the radio station quoted a statement from Daily Maverick’s Editor-in-Chief Branko Brkic reads.

Political Bureau

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