The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) has dismissed an appeal against its finding that a forum for black journalists was unconstitutional in its racially exclusive membership.
On Monday SAHRC spokesperson Vincent Moaga said the appeal was dismissed last week.
In April last year the commission found that barring journalists from joining the Forum for Black Journalists (FBJ) on the basis of race was unconstitutional.
This finding followed a complaint lodged by Radio 702 news editor Katy Katopodis after white journalists were barred from attending the FBJ’s ”blacks only” lunch with African National Congress president Jacob Zuma.
On Monday Katopodis said: ”I’m glad this is over so we can focus on the major events that are unfolding now.”
She said the decision was still an important one that remained relevant over a year later.
”Part of my role as an editor is to protect the journalists I work with and I would have done exactly the same thing if a black journalist was barred from a white meeting — it violates the Constitution,” said Katopodis.
At the time of the commission’s original finding, FBJ chairperson Abbey Makoe said the forum rejected the findings, calling it a ”judicial ambush” which amounted to the first banning order of a black initiative.
”By its ruling the HRC has found us guilty for being black; it has criminalised black people; it has found us guilty for exercising the initiative to solve the problems not of its making.”
In its finding on the appeal, the SAHRC said the FBJ had the right to form an association to uplift black journalists and exclude people whose objectives were inimical to its founding values.
”FBJ used race as the criterion and formed the view that all white journalists should be excluded from their organisation.
”No argument has been made as to why the less intrusive admission policy which required a full commitment to the values and goals of the organisation would not have been sufficient to protect its distinct ”voice” and identity.
”The imprecise and blunt instrument of racial exclusivity was relied upon,” said the commission in its report on the appeal.
”There is nothing before us which leads us to conclude that the racial exclusive membership policies and practices bring a legitimate benefit to the FBJ which justifies the infringement of the right to dignity of the persons excluded on the basis of race.” — Sapa