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"Protest fury! Who is to blame for this, Mr President?" - Daily Sun

The front page and lead story of SA's largest daily newspaper, September 12 2013

Daily Sun (September 12 2013) - TODAY Daily Sun publishes disturbing pictures of angry people in confrontation with cops.

They are people who are fed up with being lied to about basic services that never materialise. Their only recourse is to protest.

However, if President Jacob Zuma had his way, we would not be publishing them at all!

In Mr Zuma's world we need more "patriotic reporting" of the kind he says is practised in Mexico and less "negative" reporting - in other words, a world where the government's inconvenient truths are brushed under the carpet.

Don't blame the government for failing in 80% of its service delivery promises - blame the media for reporting it!

Mr Zuma, who was addressing students in Cape Town, has never shown much tolerance or understanding of the media.

His ministers complain constantly about the exposure of government incompetence and corruption.

Incredibly, he accused the media of "not being elected". Well, neither the SA Communist Party nor Cosatu was elected, yet they have a habit of telling the ANC exactly what to do.

Mr Zuma was reported to have told students the media was so negative he sometimes felt like fleeing the country!

The deprived citizens of Protea Glen might wish he would do just that.

See the Daily Sun mobi site for more on this and other stories....

The Daily Sun is South Africa's largest daily newspaper with an average circulation of 287 222 (Audit Bureau of Circulations 2nd Quarter 2013) and a readership of 5.7m (as per AMPS 2012ab). Its Facebook page can be accessed here. It can be followed on Twitter here. To find about advertising on the Daily Sun click here.

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