The Black Editors Forum is adamant Sanef will not undermine its black interests. Jacquie Golding-Duffy reports
EFFORTS by the South African National Editors Forum (Sanef) to unite editors, irrespective of colour, are being overwhelmed by the increasingly high profile and growing influence of the Black Editors Forum (BEF).
Sanef, founded in October last year, aims to unite the mainly white Conference of Editors and the BEF. But Sanef chair Thami Mazwai, who is also the chair of the BEF and editor of Enterprise magazine, says actions by the BEF are not out of line with Sanef as the BEF has a responsibility towards its black members to tackle issues which directly affect them.
Of late, the BEF has led two delegations to tackle such issues. The first was to have afternoon tea with President Nelson Mandela in a bid to iron out differences the president and some government officials had with senior black journalists.
The second delegation involved meeting with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission regarding the Freedom of Expression Institute’s (FXI) involvement in the planned investigation into the media.
Mazwai says both delegations were tactical moves aimed at highlighting issues which were important to black journalists in particular. Furthermore, the moves were appropriate under the circumstances, he says.
The bout with the FXI and its chair Raymond Louw followed objections harboured by BEF members who felt it was “inappropriate” for the FXI to act as an intermediary and assist the TRC in its investigation into the role of the media during the apartheid era between 1960 and 1993.
Despite arguments from the FXI that it is the appropriate body to facilitate and assist the TRC owing to its independence, the TRC has bowed to mounting pressure from the BEF, arguing that it did not want to alienate any one party from coming forth with submissions.
The FXI has said it is suitably removed from the press, but knowlegeable enough about the media to carry out the investigation. However, it has accepted the TRC’s decision and will be conducting an independent investigation of the industry which it will then submit to the commission for scrutiny.
Mazwai argues that Sanef was planning to address the issue of the FXI’s planned involvement, but a meeting to discuss the issue was only set for the end of February. “Circumstances demanded that we act quickly,” he says, adding that the BEF was concerned that an intermediary would set an “unhappy precendent” and that journalists of the English press could not be called upon to be judge, jury and executor when investigating a matter as sensitive as the media’s role in apartheid atrocities.
Mazwai, however, says the action taken by the BEF was not intended to undermine the concept of Sanef.
Sanef convener and editor of the Cape Times Moegsien Williams says the launch of Sanef, which is scheduled to take place later this year, is still on track. “It is the BEF’s perogative to do as they wish outside of the forum as both the Conference of Editors and the BEF continue to exist until they disband prior to the launch.”
Williams says he did not think the plans for a united press body would falter under the strain of the BEF’s moves as both the Conference of Editors and the BEF have common long-term goals: to protect press freedom and work towards equity in the industry.
“The success of Sanef depends on how we carry out our plan of action to reach our goals,” he says.
Mazwai agrees: “There are plans for a code of ethics which will bind us all. The BEF will not in any way do anything to encroach on these areas.” He adds that this does not mean that women or black editors could not have a specific interest group. “The BEF will want to continue maintaining links with the Black Management Forum, for example, as this is important in terms of knowing the sentiments of the black community.”
Conference of Editors chair and Mail &Guardian editor Anton Harber says the moves by the BEF are against the “spirit” of Sanef which was aimed at editors speaking with one voice. “A lot of time and energy has gone into trying to get editors to speak as one and some of the moves show editors speaking in a divided voice which is contrary to what Sanef stands for, generally undermining the unifying purpose of the forum.”
Sanef deputy chair and Sunday Times editor Brian Pottinger says there is no major conflict with having Sanef operating as an umbrella body with several subsidiaries with special interests. “Sanef has key responsibilities and these are separate from those which are expressed by other media groups, for example, an electronic journalists body.
“As long as the subsidiaries do not cloud the responsibilities of Sanef and its chair [Mazwai] differentiates when he is wearing the BEF hat and that of Sanef, there should not be a problem,” says Pottinger.
Sanef’s council of editors will meet the middle of this month for the first three- monthly meeting to be held by the editors from both the Conference of Editors and the BEF.