Sanef horrified at attack on journalists
The South African National Editors' Forum (Sanef) condemns in the strongest terms the apparently politically motivated attack on a journalist in the Eastern Cape this week.
This comes after a spate of worrying attacks on journalists who were reporting on strikes in the Western Cape in recent weeks and the intimidation of a reporter covering a protest at the University of Fort Hare by a policeman on duty there.
Together, these incidents indicate an uncalled for hostility towards the media and journalists who are carrying out their professional duties in keeping the public informed.
Zolile Menzelwa, a reporter on the Queenstown weekly The Rep, suffered injuries to his face and ankle after two assailants knocked him down, stood on his chest and dropped a brick on his ankle - leaving him bruised but not seriously hurt. The incident happened on Sunday evening as he walked close to his home from a private engagement.
The two men, whom he did not recognise, warned him to stop writing "about the mayor", which pointed to a political motivation for the assault. Menzelwa and his editor, Sonja Raasch, are not sure whether the attackers were referring to the recently ousted mayor, who is linked to about R7 million in missing funds, or to his replacement, who has promised to tackle corruption.