JOURNALISTS were barred for a second time this week from reporting on issues discussed in open parliamentary standing committees, despite the ANC’s repeated pledge to transparancy.
Last week Labour Minister Tito Mboweni told journalists that his briefing to a standing committee was “off the record” and could not be reported.
This week an ANC senator, Solomon Rasmeni, barred the media from publishing an information document presented to the senate committee on reconstruction and development. As in the case of the Mboweni controversy, the document referred to labour issues.
Department sources expressed their surprise at Rasmeni’s ruling, saying that the report was of a technical nature and included nothing secret or controversial.
The document was given to committee members by Joggie Kastner, acting director general of the Department of Labour.
Kastner asked that the media should be barred from receiving copies. This was supported by Rasmeni. Kastner complained that he had been misquoted in the media earlier as having said the Unemployment Insurance Fund was bankrupt.
Rasmeni opened the proceedings by informing media representatives that they should be sure “to get their facts right”. He was not available for comment when approached by the Mail & Guardian.
Chris Louw