Sanef condemns EFF ‘aggressive’ attack on eNCA journalist

The South African National Editors’ Forum (Sanef) has once again sounded the alarm on the ill-treatment of journalists, after an eNCA reporter was harassed, allegedly by members of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) during the nationwide Clicks protests on Monday, 7 September 2020.

According to journalist Nobesuthu Hejana, she and cameraman, Crescendo Louw, were at the Clicks store in Goodwood mall in Cape Town when they were chased away by protestors. Hejana said they did a live crossing in the morning right before the EFF’s chair Veronica Mente was set to brief media.

‘Supporters became aggressive’

When Mente arrived, proceedings were briefly disrupted when one of the supporters in the crowd shouted that they, “would not speak to Rupert agents.” Mente then said she would not speak until the eNCA news crew left.

“Supporters became aggressive, forcing our cameraman to hurry up and leave,” Hejana is quoted as saying.

“Mente said that they were blocking the eNCA crew in retaliation for the broadcaster withdrawing coverage of the party’s second elective conference in December last year.  The eNCA had withdrawn in solidarity after the EFF banned various media outlets from covering the EFF conference,” Sanef said.

“Video footage indicates that the eNCA’s cameraman was insulted, sworn at and abused verbally by EFF supporters”

The Red Berets’ hostility towards the broadcaster stems from December 2019, after the party barred it from attending any of its briefings. The EFF had announced it would be banning investigative journalism unit amaBhungane and Daily Maverick from covering its conference, prompting eNCA to also suspend its coverage in solidarity.

The party also called on its members to boycott the channel, in the wake of a fallout with journalist Samkele Maseko, who made serious allegations of censorship against then boss Kanthan Pillay.

Sanef: EFF obliged to protect media freedom

The forum further said the EFF is obligated protect the freedom of media and other democratic fundamentals.

“Sanef takes serious exception to this kind of intimidation and treatment of journalists by supporters of any political organisation. It is particularly worrying because the EFF is represented in the South African National Assembly and various provincial and local government legislature structures,” it said.

Sanef has also called on the party and its leadership to uphold the country’s Constitution, which guarantees the existence of the fourth estate as a key pillar of democracy.