Black editors have pledged to continue working towards a national integrated editors forum, writes Ferial Haffajee
Black editors have decided to remain in the fold of the South African National Editors Forum despite last weeks acrimonious resignation of its chair Thami Mazwai.
Theyve pledged to continue working on existing projects including a press freedom drive, a plan to ensure there are no spies in newsrooms and an affirmative action monitoring system.
Mazwai left under a storm. He alleged that his ability to critique the media had been constrained, that the forum remained white dominated and he urged black journalists and editors to maintain separate organisations for the next 20 years.
But this week, senior black players from Sanef and the forum remained steadfast that next years official launch of the forum would go ahead. The Black Editors Forum would remain a separate member organisation.
The people who remain in Sanef will have to address the issues Ive raised, said Mazwai this week. But he appeared a lone voice this week as his resignation had less impact than anticipated.
On Saturday, Argus editor Moegsien Williams stepped into Mazwais shoes. He will act as Sanefs chair until Januarys congress. Soon the forum will employ a director to carry out its various programmes and begin to spend the lucrative funds it has managed to attract.
Among the programmes Williams is most keen to get under way is an affirmative action audit. The tally of progress being made by black and female journalists across the countrys newspaper and broadcast newsrooms is in its first draft.
Well make it our business to lobby those organisations who arent doing enough, Williams said. He will also have to perform the fine balancing act of improving relations with government while making sure that the medias role as watchdog is not compromised.
Mazwai reached his final cross-roads with his fellow editors when a row ensued about whether the media had acted fairly in its row with Denel on revealing the identity of a country interested in concluding a multi- million rand arms deal. Said Mazwai: Press freedom is a passion with me and moving out of Sanef removes constraints [which have been placed on me].
In an interview with City Press at the weekend, Mazwai said: No black journalist can survive in these non-racial organisations unless he becomes a coconut, in reference to the fruit which is brown outside and white inside. I hope Moegsien knows the difference between blacks and coconuts, Mazwai added this week.
The slight went unanswered, though Sanef insiders point out that black editors now have hegemony in the organisation and speak to majority audiences. The inclusion of editors from the SABC means that were speaking to millions of people, said Williams this week.
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