Reported attempts by police to prevent journalists from covering the court case of four police officers in Germiston are ”outrageous,” the South African National Editors’ Forum (Sanef) said on Tuesday.
”It was interference bordering on the unlawful in the work of journalists carrying out their legitimate duties covering the proceedings at an open-court hearing,” said Raymond Louw, convenor of Sanef’s media freedom committee.
Louw was reacting to an incident at the Germiston Magistrate’s Court on Monday where a court official — whose name badge read ”Inspector Tshika” — allegedly intimidated reporters and confiscated the notebook of one of them.
Journalists were also threatened by relatives of the accused while police and court officials looked on.
Sanef called on police National Commissioner Jackie Selebi to take action against the officer.
”Sanef calls on Commissioner Selebi to take stern action against the officer and to inform members of the police service that their role in upholding media freedom is to protect journalists and facilitate the carrying out of their duties,” said Louw.
He said the forum had complained to Selebi when journalists were evicted from a court hearing in which African National Congress deputy president Jacob Zuma was the accused.
Selebi made assurances that the police upheld media freedom and respected the role of journalists, he said.
”Yet, a few months later, a police officer with the senior rank of inspector has tried to censor the media by preventing journalists from reporting on court proceedings, clearly with the intent of protecting fellow police.”
Police on Tuesday said an investigation into the incident had commenced. — Sapa