Since it was elected to power in 1994 the African National Congress government has, like any other democratic government, met criticism from the media — most of it well-deserved. But instead of reasoned, well-thought-out responses, leaders of the party and its aligned organisations have resorted to outrageous allegations of racism against the media.
Black journalists, in particular, have been accused of allowing themselves to be used by senior whites who are running a propaganda campaign to discredit black leaders. This, it is said, they do to “keep their jobs”, “get into the editor’s good books” or because they are “afraid of standing up to their white editors”.
For some reason, the ANC leaders seem to think that all black people owe their loyalty to the party and that black journalists should do their public relations work for them. They regularly complain that the media fail to report on the “positive” things they do. Mail & Guardian advertising executives are subjected to lectures about “blackness” and “patriotism” from government departments because the paper carries “anti-ANC stories”.
Such attacks are not new. During his presidency Nelson Mandela called senior black journalists to a meeting to reprimand them for doing the dirty work of white editors. The meeting was held after a number of stories were carried in the media that the ANC viewed as negative reporting.
In the past few weeks I have been flooded with phone calls from people in leadership positions of the ruling party after two of my stories were published in the M&G — “NUM to spice up summit” (May 3) and “Mbeki falls short” (May 17). The latter, a light story about the height of President Thabo Mbeki and other world leaders, was a particular cause of anger.
Among those who called me were the deputy chairperson of the ANC health committee, Dr Confidence Moloko, and Local Government Minister Sydney Mufamadi’s spokesperson and former journalism lecturer at the Technikon Northern Gauteng, Lebona Mosia. Angry callers also included some government and trade union employees.
Although it came from different people and was said in different ways, the message was pretty much the same: I am one of the black journalists being used by white editors. I tried to engage my callers in a debate about what they found offensive in my stories. The response was unreasoned stubbornness and insults. In two cases the phone was slammed down on me.
I was reminded of what Mosia taught me when I studied under him at technikon: “You are not here [in this profession] to make friends or to please anyone.” I wish I could have reminded him of his statement before he banged down the phone.
The lesson that journalists must tell the truth without fear or favour is one that I will always carry with me for as long as my career lasts.
Black journalists at the M&G are not forced to write stories. My news editor can testify to that. I have, on numerous occasions, refused to do a story I was assigned because I was not comfortable with writing it. That’s how we work at the M&G and I hope at other papers in South Africa.
For those readers who imagine that the M&G is a racial tyranny, let me explain how the newsroom works. Every reporter presents a story idea to the news editor — the current one, Shannon Sherry, is black — and they discuss it. During the discussions the news editor may suggest a certain angle and the journalist is at liberty to refuse or accept the suggestion.
A further point about the M&G — everyone, from the editor down to the trainees, gets the opportunity to contribute to what goes into the newspaper’s editorials and what angle should be taken.
Every Wednesday there is a conference, to which everyone is invited, at which the editorial or editorials for that week are decided. And every Friday morning there is another conference, where all editorial staff are free to criticise the paper.
The conclusion to be drawn from the argument that black journalists who criticise the government are sucking up to their white editors and allowing themselves to be used is that black people have no brains and cannot think for themselves.
It is an insult to the intelligence of all black brothers and sisters who refuse to be puppets of the leaders. It implies that the only black people who are intelligent enough to form opinions are those in the leadership. How else can they find it impossible to believe that black people can form critical opinions? You either agree with them or you are damned.
It is no secret in the M&G newsroom that I hated last week’s front page on Peter Mokaba. When my editor asked for my opinion on it, I told him: “For the first time, I wish I wasn’t part of this paper.” Apart from the weird picture on the cover, I do not think Mokaba’s alleged spying for the apartheid government or his Aids denial were sufficiently new to deserve front-page treatment.
But I also do not share the view that people should turn a blind eye to the flaws of the dead. The fact that Mokaba is dead is not in itself sufficient to avoid publishing that story.
In addition, the decision to publish it was preceded by a long debate involving every staff member who wanted to attend.
Without wanting to sound pompous, I am an independent, intelligent young black woman who has a mind of her own and would like to be seen as such. Criticise my intellect, but don’t insult it. And as for the “Mbeki falls short” story, which offended so many M&G readers, where’s your sense of humour?