An MD allegedly interfering with editorial
content, reporters fearing for their jobs?
What, or who, is going down at the Sowetan?
Jacquie Golding-Duffy speaks to both sides
While New Africa Investments Limited (Nail) is
gearing up to bid for newspapers in the Times
Media Limited stable, some of the consortium’s
board members are facing accusations of
editorial interference.
The Media Workers’ Association of South Africa
(Mwasa), which represents the interests of the
majority of Sowetan staffers, is planning to
haul certain board members on Nail’s
subsidiary — New Africa Publications
Limited (NAPL) — to court.
A Mwasa representative says the union is
demanding the dismissal of the newspaper’s
newly-appointed managing director Roger
Wellsted. Staffers claim Wellsted is
interfering with the editorial content of the
newspaper.
Reporters at the Sowetan spoke to the Mail &
Guardian on condition that their names would
not be published. Reporters fear their jobs
and current positions will be jeopardised if
they reveal their identities. The M&G
canvassed the opinions of mostly senior
staffers on the news and political desks.
“He [Wellsted] is being manipulated by Nail
chairman Dr Nthato Motlana, who wants us to
sing the praises of the African National
Congress,” one staffer said.
Wellsted denies he is being manipulated by
Motlana: “There is no truth in this … I am
definitely not being manipulated, nor am I
manipulating anyone … Absolutely not.”
He adds that at no stage are staffers
instructed to hold back articles or to tone
down reports. In fact, he says, there is no
interference whatsoever in the newspaper’s
editorial.
“There is an editorial charter which sets out
guidelines and this is closely adhered to by
all on the newspaper.”
Wellsted says Mwasa has previously accused him
of having excessive power over editorial
executives, but its allegations were
unfounded.
Sowetan editor-in-chief Aggrey Klaaste says
there are efforts by a cabal in the newsroom
to “flog the notion that the management is
attempting to turn the Sowetan into an ANC
mouthpiece”.
“This is untrue and scandalous. The same
people flogging this notion have their own set
agendas which include trying to discredit
Roger Wellsted,” Klaaste said.
The Sowetan is seen by some media observers as
taking a Pan Africanist Congress and Azanian
Peoples Organisation line.
A reporter on the Sowetan’s political staff
says the board was informed of the union’s
demands, because some reporters in the
newsroom felt that Klaaste would not be
effective in ensuring that demands are met.
“Dikgang Moseneke [NAPL director] was
personally informed and we expect the board to
accede to our demands and get back to us by
the middle of next week,” said a Mwasa
representative. He said consultations with
lawyers were under way and should the board
not meet union demands, papers will be filed
against board members bringing a court action
against members for not following company
policy with regards to senior appointments.
The union says the possibility of a strike at
the newspaper could not be ruled out since
“drastic times calls for drastic measures”.
Another political journalist accused Wellsted
of secretly submitting the clippings of
political staffers for the scrutiny of
Motlana. A letter from Wellsted, in his
capacity as the then general manager,
addressed to political editor Mathatha Tsedu
late last year, states that Motlana “often
receives complaints regarding the political
bias” of the Sowetan and it is Motlana’s
“responsibility to evaluate these complaints”.
Wellsted, in his letter, said the reasons for
submitting the files was to present to Motlana
a balanced collection of political reports in
the hope that he could review them in the
light of criticisms received.
Wellsted stated that he is happy to have noted
that neither Klaaste nor Motlana had
interfered with the editorial independence of
political staffers. Wellsted apologised to
political staffers in the event of having
offended any member of staff by not informing
them that he had taken files, but added that,
since the files are public property, he was
well within his right to present the newspaper
clippings to Motlana.
Earlier this week, Wellsted told the M&G a
meeting was held with the political desk and
the union in a bid to resolve any disputes.
“No one indicated, at the time, that they were
unhappy with resolutions reached,” he said.
Staffers at the Sowetan are, however, adamant
that Wellsted is being manipulated by Motlana.
One staffer says TML editors and reporters
have to brace themselves for the onslaught by
Nail.
However, not all at the Sowetan believe
Motlana is involved. Some say it is the
Independent Group which wants the Sowetan to
be more ANC-friendly in the hope that both
government and ANC will be less vociferous on
the issue of media ownership. “The Independent
will be happiest if Mbeki and others toned
down on the issue of monopolies owning the
media.”
“Editorial independence should not be
sacrificed and there is a fear it is slowly
being eroded at the Sowetan. It is sad to note
that the future of journalism looks bleak if
black empowerment is manifesting itself by
attempting to control the media,” another
staffer said.
Mwasa believes the Sowetan’s management
flouted company policy by not advertising
senior posts. Instead, people were merely
appointed into senior positions. This, the
union says, is totally unacceptable and was
the last straw which broke the camel’s back.
Other complaints include Wellsted’s attitude
to black people who are assertive. “People
like Wellsted only want people in senior
positions who tow the line of the ANC and that
of New Africa’s board members. They do not
want assertive personnel, but rather people
who are easily manipulated,” a senior staffer
claimed.
Wellsted says the senior appointments were
made by board members and were not an
individual decision. Klaaste says he will
“treat all allegations made by staffers with
the contempt it deserves”.
Motlana and Moseneke were unavailable for
comment.