Pretoria | Monday
INTELLIGENCE Minister Lindiwe Sisulu has apologised for ”the alleged insensitive and unsavoury” questioning of journalists undergoing security competence testing for the proposed new presidential press corps.
This follows press reports that the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) has been questioning full details of journalists’ sex lives, including whether or not they had ever practised homosexual sex, as part of the security clearance process.
The Sunday Independent reported that among questions asked are who the journalist has slept with, whether that was a complete list of their sexual partners, and whether he or she has slept with members of the same sex.
The paper said this has drawn fierce objections among legal experts and press groups who see the practice as unconstitutional and unnecessary.
Sisulu’s representative Lorna Daniels said in a statement on Sunday her department noted the reports ”with regret” and had issued a directive for the review of instruments used in the security competence test with the intention of withdrawing any insensitive questions.
”The minister wishes to apologise most profusely to the president and any other South African for the alleged questions,” she said.
Daniels said the NIA director-general had already explained to Sisulu that the incident could be attributed to ”an over zealous” official who might ”have gone overboard” during the non-standard interview.
The new presidential press corps is modelled along the lines of the White House press corps which has privileged access to the president and travels with him on occasion.
It was proposed at the indaba between editors and senior journalists under the umbrella of the South African National Editors Forum (Sanef) and Cabinet in May 2001 and is scheduled to begin operation on April 30.
The Government Communications and Information System said on Sunday that in the light of the Sunday Independent report, government and the presidential press corps interim committee would meet next week to establish and resolve any areas of concern that might exist, including privacy and constitutionality. – Sapa