African National Congress president Jacob Zuma is to deliver an off-the-record address at the inaugural imbizo [meeting] of a forum exclusively for black journalists in Sandton on Friday.
Chairperson of the newly formed forum’s steering committee Abbey Makoe, said the Forum of Black Journalists (FBJ) was an association ”who would politically in the South African context be defined as of African descent, coloureds and Indians”.
Makoe said the body’s ”modus operandi” was to ”redress inherent past imbalances which affect journalists as they attempt to work in the public domain”.
Any member of the media can join the forum, as long as they are of African descent, coloured or Indian.
Asked whether he thought it was discriminatory to exclude white journalists, Makoe said: ”To be quite frank that is just when people want to take attention away from why black journalists feel the need to get together from time to time to discuss matters they feel need addressing.”
He said the FBJ was no different from the Jewish Board of Deputies or the Black Lawyers’ Association.
”All like-minded people get together under one roof and chew together on things of common interest,” he said.
Zuma’s address on Friday was ”off the record”, meaning it was not to be broadcast or reported on in newspapers.
ANC spokesperson Tiyani Rikhotso said the party accepted the invitation but could not comment on the composition of the organisation or the exclusivity of its membership.
President Thabo Mbeki was an honorary member of the first FBJ, which disbanded in the late 1990s. The inaugural imbizo will usher in the new FBJ. – Sapa