Statement on the harassment of amaBhungane journalist Micah Reddy
amaBhungane is taking legal advice about the way forward.
“On Monday morning, 17 July, I went to Shine Studios in Braamfontein to participate in a discussion on the SABC TV show Daily Thetha. The show went live at 11AM and entailed heated debate between myself, BLF's Andile Mngxitama, and others, on issues such as fake news and the Gupta leaks. The show also had a live audience that engaged with the panel.
After the show there was a brief photo shoot with presenters and panelists as the audience made its way out the studio. I then said goodbye to one of the presenters, fetched my bag and proceeded to leave the studio with the remainder of the audience that was trickling out.
As soon as I exited the studio, in the courtyard of the building, about 5 men and women who were walking with Mngxitmana suddenly started to heckle me. They were gesturing and shouting at me at once, accusing me of spreading fake news and making other assertions that I could not quite make out amid all the noise and confusion. Their demeanour, however, was unambiguously threatening.
I was somewhat perplexed and had stopped in my tracks about 5-10 meters away from them.