SANEF MEDIA STATEMENT ON MEETING WITH THE LEADERSHIP OF THE ECONOMIC FREEDOM FIGHTERS

A delegation led by the Chairperson of Sanef, Mpumelelo Mkhabela, met with the leadership of the EFF at the latter’s office on Monday February 22,2016. The meeting followed a request from Sanef to discuss the party’s decision to bar media workers from Gupta family owned media outlets from EFF functions.

Sanef indicated that the EFF decision was in its opinion a violation of the constitutional protection of journalists to do their work without let or hindrance and asked the EFF to explain how they justified the alleged violation of the Constitution. Sanef also repeated its call to the EFF leadership to allow journalists to go about their work unhindered and without the threat of violence which we continue to condemn.

The EFF leadership reiterated their position that the Gupta media outlets were not media as they were funded by allegedly corrupt returns from government. They felt the Gupta media outlets were nothing more than instruments of propaganda for the ruling party, which in turn, through government, gave them financial returns. They were thus not prepared to relook their decision.

The meeting ended without agreement but with an understanding that further meetings may be organized in future.

Statement issued by Mathatha Tsedu, SANEF Executive Director, 25 February 2016