FJT PRESS RELEASE ON CITIZEN EDITOR STEVE MOTALE’S SUSPENSION 

11 November 2016

Suspension of Steve Motale is unfounded and must be reinstated immediately

The Forum of Journalists for Transformation (FJT) is outraged at the recent suspension of Steve Motale, the editor of the Caxton owned Citizen newspaper.

Motale has been at the helm of the publication since 2013 and has been one of the few black voices in the industry who upheld the principles of diversity and impartiality in this largely untransformed industry, The Citizen included, where blacks continue to face widespread discriminatory harassment in the newsrooms.

The FJT finds it strange that the editor was suspended after a damning investigation about former finance minister Trevor Manuel, current finance minister Pravin Gordhan and ANC chief whip Jackson Mthembu was published in the paper a few weeks ago.

During this period, The Citizen ran a series about a Hawks probe into Manuel for his alleged role into the irregular awarding of SARS tenders and reportedly responded in unbecoming manner to the journalists who called him. Manuel allegedly approved a contract on modernisation at SARS worth R100 million, currently standing at R1 billion, without following due process.

It appears that Motale has been accused of having a personal vendetta against Manuel, and of running a campaign against him. These allegations are unfounded considering that it is the duty of all newspapers in South Africa to publish stories reflecting all spheres of our democracy and to enquire without fear, favour of social standing.

Another factor, it appears, that led to his sacking was affording SABC boss, Hlaudi Motsoeneng a platform to share his side of the story when the latter was facing heavy criticism from Mthembu and other ANC leaders. We understand that one of the executive directors at Caxton instructed a publisher to fire him ostensibly for violating Caxton’s code of conduct.

The FJT further understands that the same executive director, then instructed the publisher to offer Motale a golden handshake to leave because his “services were no longer needed”. An undisclosed monetary offer was then made to Motale on condition he walked away silently. Motale refused this offer and its condition, saying he could not be bought to keep quiet about these unsavoury developments.

The company then puts him on immediate suspension pending an inquiry.

Based on these sickening allegations that have been uncovered by the FJT, we call for Caxton to reinstate Motale immediately if they are genuine supporters of free speech, media diversity and editorial independence.

The tale and fate of Motale is nothing new in the media industry in South Africa. The moment Motale broke ranks with the mainstream media narrative and introduced diverse perspectives and even apologised to President Jacob Zuma for some of the malicious reports that were prevalent during in his endlesd trials, the 

FJT knew he was a goner.

It was only a matter of time before the incorrigible white cabal and their lackeys who control the media in South Africa got rid of him. He was side-lined and avoided by most of his mainstream media colleagues for thinking differently.

Another sad reality is that if Motale’s culling had taken place at Independent News and Times Media Group, The New Age or the SABC, the selective morality of South African National Editors Forum (SANEF) would have been quick to issue statements expressing "outrage".

Contrast SANEF’s silence now to its noise after Independent Newspapers suspended Alide Dasnois. The former Cape Times editor was publicly supported and raised to as a “hero” status for standing up against editorial interference by owners. SANEF even went as far as to give Dasnois an award for “bravery”.

SANEF, which is largely made up of factional opportunistic lobbyists, is happy to condemn the likes of Iqbal Surve but cannot defend Motale because they fear the likes Terry Moolman and Andrew Bournamour, who turn a blind eye to the ways of their highly compromised editors who have overseen the decline of print media for decades, yet continue to occupy positions of influence.

But the FJT is not surprised at all because SANEF’s factional, unprincipled and personality driven approach as opposed to issue based one to media issues is well documented. These hypocritical self-styled defenders of free speech & media freedom are found wanting when principled leadership, sense and logic require of them to defend editors like Motale and scores of other journalists who lost their jobs and have been marginalised for being conscientious objectors to double speak and dubious standards.

At this rate, we believe that only compliant black lackey editors, who are prepared to outsource their thinking and defend the status quo, will be allowed to continue to edit mainstream papers. This is a travesty for our democracy, media freedom and diversity. 

We call for deliberate mobilisation of resources to publications that are transforming and support media diversity in South Africa. Media houses that are refusing to or incapable of transforming cannot be allowed to continue to disenfranchise black editors like Motale, yet expect to do business with a transformative government.

If nothing is done, the FJT will use the influence of all its members and resources to start boycotting these newspapers until they learn. In fact, we urge all agents of media transformation and society at large to be weary of the mainstream media’s agenda, consume news dished out by the mainstream publication with a questioning mind and to not believe everything they are fed until independently verified. In short, we are appealing to society to not treat whatever is fed to them by the mainstream media as gospel truth.

Businesses that aim to stifle black excellence and progress cannot be allowed to operate in our economy and profit from the very same blacks that they discriminate against every day. The FJT will be monitoring this situation very closely and will continue to provide the necessary support to all those who are targeted by these racist cartels and their lackeys.

Statement issued by Ayanda Mdluli JFT Acting National Spokesperson and Piet Rampedi JFT President, 10 November 2016