Thebe Mabanga
Protests from journalists are beginning to surface over accreditation for President Thabo Mbeki’s press corps. Applicants are asked questions such as whether they have been treated by a psychologist or psychiatrist, have suffered from alcoholism or drug abuse or have been through a divorce.
The security questionnaire required for accreditation, issued only to journalists nominated by their editors for the corps, also asks for:
Full details of ex-spouses, including divorce dates, full residential addresses and identity numbers. There are three spaces for ex-spouses;
Personal details, including residential addresses and identity numbers, of parents, in-laws and other close relatives, such as brothers and sisters.
Details of convictions for criminal and departmental offences, including out-of-court settlements; and of insolvencies of the applicant and/or spouse in a personal or business capacity.
If applicants have undergone psychological treatment, a report on the nature of the problem and treatment must be submitted. If they have been treated for alcoholism or drug abuse, the institution and the details of the condition must be provided.
A full set of fingerprints is also required. Applicants are warned to complete all answers in full, and that giving false information would constitute perjury because the questionnaire is a sworn statement. The questionnaire states that all referees will be interviewed as part of the security check.
Critics said this week the accreditation form is similar to one completed by senior public servants before concluding an employment contract.
”The principle is problematic,” said Salim Valli, chairperson of the Freedom of Expression Institute. ”The kind of information they are looking for is laughable and bizarre. What has it got to do with good journalism?”
Valli said there was a danger the presidency would ”form a coterie of sycophantic journalists at the expense of critical and investigative ones”.
Another concern is that the presidential press corps will enjoy privileged access to the presidency to the exclusion of other journalists, particularly the Parliamentary Press Gallery Association (PPGA). It appears foreign journalists cannot join.
There are also worries that the sensitive nature of the information required is an invasion of privacy, and could be used to discredit critical journalists.
The government communications chief Joel Netshitenzhe said the exclusive band will enjoy as much unhindered access to the president as possible, including the opportunity to attend on- and off-the-record briefings and, when the R400-million presidential jet is available, to accompany Mbeki on state visits.
However, Netshitenzhe said other journalists would still be able to get information from the presidency.
South African National Editors Forum (Sanef) chairperson Mathatha Tsedu said the idea of a presidential press corps arose out of interaction with the government when the forum raised concerns that ”the president is inaccessible”. It was formalised at a media indaba at Sun City last year.
Tsedu said that although the forum had agreed to the principle of the formation of the body, the details of implementation were left to the government.
On the security clearance required for admission, Tsedu said he would expect it to be ”more vigorous” than a normal application for accreditation.
Any problems media organisations had with the questions should be raised with individual editors. To his knowledge, Sanef had received no formal complaint relating to the questionnaire.
PPGA chairperson Donwald Pressly said the press gallery supported ”total transparency in this process and we do not want anyone excluded”. The PPGA had pressed for automatic inclusion in the press corps, as parliamentary journalists also required a security clearance to cover Parliament albeit a less stringent one. Gallery sources say there is concern about the exclusion of foreign correspondents.
It is understood that journalists from the Independent Group, Business Day, Naspers and the major electronic media have already applied for accreditation.