Journalists should separate facts from opinion, African National Congress deputy president Jacob Zuma told editors on Sunday night — but wouldn’t tell them whether their perception that he wanted to be ANC president was correct.
Zuma told the South African National Editors’ Forum (Sanef) that the ”blurring of lines” between facts and opinion led to a dangerous form of advocacy journalism.
He addressed the Sanef general council at the Pigalle restaurant in Sandton.
Zuma called the misquoting of Judge Hilary Squires’s judgement on fraud convict Schabir Shaik an ”excellent” example of this confusion and said it was an opportunity for the media to evaluate its role.
”Locally and internationally I was painted as a man who has been found guilty of corruption in absentia by a court of law. My reputation was torn to pieces.”
Squires has denied ruling that there was a ”generally corrupt” relationship between Shaik and Zuma and attributed the phrase to the prosecution.
Zuma said the media did not explain the error but some had made grudging apologies.
”All we are asking for is fairness and adherence to the ethics of the profession,” said Zuma.
”I fought for the freedom of the media and I will defend it.”
Zuma is suing various publications for millions of rand for defamation.
”I have not done this because I want money.”
He said his motive was to correct the media.
He said the media ”sentenced me to prison” and called this unfair.
”You could not even read the [Squires] judgement … you reported on an issue that was not in the judgement and you reported [it] almost for a year. You can’t say that it’s fair.”
Zuma would not say whether he wanted to be the next ANC president.
”I have never said I have such ambitions.”
He agreed there was no rule preventing such speculation, but emphasised he had never said he wanted the job. He also refused to give his own view on policy matters, saying his policies were those of the ANC.
”I think your problem is that you want to separate me from the ANC … I’ve got the views and policies of the ANC.”
Likewise, he denied ever saying he wanted to go to court to face corruption charges.
”There’s a wide reporting that I asked to go to court. I never.” Instead, he said, he had asked people not to judge him when he was not in court.
Zuma wouldn’t say whether he believed there was a conspiracy against him or, if there was, who was involved.
”I’m not ready to discuss that matter and for very good reasons.”
Asked why such a conspiracy should exist, he said he didn’t know.
Zuma could not say whether he would have done anything differently.
”I don’t know which thing I would have done differently, I don’t know which one.” – Sapa