Four journalists employed by a regional news agency in Mpumalanga, had been assaulted and threatened without the police taking any action to protect them, the Media Institute of Southern Africa (Misa) said on Tuesday.
Misa representative Goodman Chauke also accused the police taking part in an assault on an African Eye News Service (AENS) journalist on one occasion.
The alleged intimidation and assaults have taken place over the past nine months, Chauke said.
According to him two journalists had to flee their homes and were hiding in safe houses.
”In the most recent incident, on September 18, the life of AENS reporter Jabu Mhlabane is alleged to have been threatened by a multiple murder suspect in front of at least four uniformed policemen and Nelspruit station commissioner Senior Superintendent Joseph Ntsanwisi, who are said by AENS to have done nothing to protect her,” Chauke said.
In another incident, AENS court reporter Zenzele Kuhlase and photojournalist Steven Ntuli were attacked by an armed group on the steps of Nelspruit’s courthouse on July 16.
Two of the assailants were allegedly policemen, who were wearing their service pistols.
”AENS suspects that the group attacked Kuhlase and Ntuli following their reporting on a child torture trial involving Mpumalanga teacher Zandile Nkosi, the two police (men) and three others.”
Charges have been laid against the two policemen and the Independent Complaints Directorate was also informed of the incident, Chauke said.
Chauke said that despite this, no statements have yet been taken from the journalists and from witnesses to the incidents. Misa asked the police commissioner to take ”immediate effective steps” to protect the news agency’s staff and to investigate the conduct of the police alleged to have been involved.
”Lack of action on these attempts to injure and intimidate journalists and to muzzle the media is condemned.”
Lowveld area commissioner Frank Sibulela said he did not know about any of the incidents and would not be able to confirm them on Tuesday night. – Sapa