The Democratic Alliance (DA) on Wednesday said the African National Congress’s “full-scale assault” on eNews to force the channel to identify criminals interviewed on air was an attempt to muzzle the media.
The ruling party has urged e.tv to help the police arrest two masked men who told of plans to commit crimes during the 2010 Soccer World Cup, in a programme aired last Friday.
The DA’s call came after Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa subpoenad two eNews journalists to reveal the identity of the men. In a strange twist, a source linked to the story committed suicide.
ANC spokesperson Jackson Mthembu said if eNews failed to comply “they cannot be different from these criminals themselves”, and warned the channel that it could not “hide behind journalistic ethics and media freedoms”.
“It is very unfortunate that we have a media in the country that glorifies and publicises criminal intentions. The patriotism of such media is suspect,” he said.
DA spokesperson Lindiwe Mazibuko said the ANC’s call “runs contrary to the constitutional principle of free media in South Africa”.
“The story in question might have been in bad taste, but to suggest that these journalists are somehow no different to the criminals they were reporting on is grossly misleading.”
“If the ANC is truly concerned about South Africa’s international image ahead of the 2010 World Cup, now is not the time to launch a full-scale assault on South Africa’s independent terrestrial television broadcaster.”
E.tv has declined, on legal advice, to say how it plans to respond to the subpoenas to reveal its sources. Its news editor, Ben Said, and reporter Mpho Lakaje have to appear in court on Monday if they fail to comply.
The channel said on Tuesday that a man found dead in Soweto was a go-between who had put the reporters in touch with the self-confessed criminals interviewed. It implied in a statement that only he had known their true identities.
Hawks spokesperson Musa Zondi said the 43-year-old man was found dead in the outside toilet at his home in Soweto. He appeared to have poisoned himself and left a suicide note asking Lakaje to take care of his teenage daughter.
Zondi would not confirm newspaper reports that named the man as Lucky Phungula.
The Hawks initially believed the suicide victim was one of the men shown on air with his face masked. They were continuing their investigation into the case.
The Cape Times carried an interview with the suicide victim’s daughter in which she said he feared he had offended police National Commissioner Bheki Cele.
The police’s reaction to the eNews programme, screened last Friday, has triggered a debate about the state’s use of section 205 of the Criminal Procedure Act to force journalists to reveal their sources. — Sapa