Print Media South Africa (PMSA) is seeking an urgent meeting with Minister in the Presidency Essop Pahad after he threatened to withdraw government advertising from the Sunday Times.
In a statement issued on Friday, PMSA said it sought a meeting with Pahad after Pahad expressed his view that the government should pull its advertising from the weekly.
The newspaper published an article claiming that Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang ordered people to bring her alcohol while she was in hospital for a shoulder operation and continued drinking despite her liver condition. Tshabalala-Msimang had a liver transplant earlier this year.
PMSA which represents over 700 newspapers and magazines, said there had been mixed signals from government over the threat.
”There have been mixed signals from government on the threat with some spokespeople saying it was the minister’s personal opinion and that government had not taken a decision on it, while others have said it could happen,” read the statement.
It said it was surprised by media reports that government had started talking to advertising agencies about the restriction.
”If these reports are true and government withdraws its advertising from publications because it does not agree with one or other of their stories, it would signal the beginning of an insidious form of press censorship”.
Presidential spokesperson Mukoni Ratshitanga said: ”I am not aware of their request”. – Sapa