SANEF AGM, Wrottesley & Nat Nakasa Award - July 27, 2013
The SA National Editors' Forum held its Council and Annual General Meeting (combined) yesterday (July 27, 2013). We also co-hosted the annual Nat Nakasa Award and Wrottesley Award dinner.
The meeting in Auckland Park noted that SANEF has continued to play an important role in advocating for media freedom. The organisation has made meaningful interventions to fast-tract the free flow of information in the public interest.
However, it was decided that more needed to be done. The meeting resolved to begin a discussion to institute structural and institutional reforms to make the organisation more effective in line with its constitutional and public expectations.
A new Broadcast Committee will be established to deal effectively with issues affecting the industry. The Broadcast Committee is expected to:
- Advise SANEF management committee on issues affecting broadcasting;
- Assist the management committee to respond to media and/or public inquiries on time;
- Be instrumental in championing needs of broadcasting within and outside SANEF structures, and
- To engage with government, business, civil society and appropriate industry regulatory bodies when required.
The committee will work closely with the SANEF office and management committee to establish clear objectives and goals.
GCIS briefed the meeting about government's plans to launch a campaign to celebrate 20 years of democracy in South Africa.
Sowetan Editor Mpumelelo Mkhabela was elected chairman of SANEF. He takes over from Nicholas Dawes, outgoing Editor of the Mail & Guardian.
Makhudu Sefara, the Editor of The Star, was elected deputy chairman. City Press Assistant Editor Adriaan Basson was elected chairman of the Media Freedom Committee.
SANEF congratulates former Sunday Times Editor Mondli Makhanya for winning the 2013 Nat Nakasa award in recognition of his bravery in tackling difficult topics during his tenure.
SANEF also congratulates outgoing chairman Dawes for winning the Sanef-Wrottesley Award given to him by his peers in recognition of his dedicated service and media activism.
The prestigious awards were handed out at the annual dinner co-hosted by SANEF, PDMSA and the Nieman Society of Southern Africa in Sandton last night (Saturday).
Statement isssued by the SA National Editors' Forum (SANEF), July 28 2013
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