Rehana Rossouw
READERS of The Cape Times have offered to buy extra copies of the paper this week to offset a boycott called by People Against Gangsterism and Drugs (Pagad).
The organisation decided last week to boycott The Cape Times indefinitely until the newspaper “corrected” every inaccuracy it has allegedly printed about the organisation.
Pagad chief co-ordinator Aslam Toefy said the decision to boycott was unanimous. “They can still stop the action by rectifying the wrong things they have written. To show goodwill, they will have to use space to correct every inaccuracy,” he said.
Toefy said Pagad’s boycott would not extend to other media as the organisation was not hostile to the press. Pagad had been “very polite” at a press conference two weeks ago where the media was warned to report “the truth”.
The Cape Times deputy editor Ryland Fisher said the newspaper has a very supportive readership and there were many who called in and said they disagree with the boycott, adding that they are prepared to buy extra copies of the newspaper.
“The irony about the boycott is that The Cape Times is probably one of the most accessible and transformed newspapers in the land,” Fisher said.
Fisher said The Cape Times management are prepared to admit mistakes and correct wrongs, but they could not do so unless they had more information from the affected people. He said the newspaper has made a similar offer to Pagad, but the organisation did not respond.
“They saw fit not to respond to our offer and we can only question why they did so. This matter can be dealt with through discussion, but it seems they are not prepared to talk to us,” he said.