Sanef condemns threats to journalists who work professionally and ethically
The South African National Editors Forum (Sanef) has condemned actions of a Durban businessman who recently threatened a Sunday Times journalist who had called him for comment.
Siqu Zungu allegedly threatened Sunday Times senior journalist Isaac Mahlangu when he was called for a comment for an article about him leaving a R12m penthouse owned by a Johannesburg doctor, Blaine Bloy, in which he lived rent-free for about three years before he was recently evicted.
Zungu said the journalist should ensure that he gets bodyguards after writing the article about him.
The businessman was evicted from a luxury Umhlanga penthouse, which he left with extensive damage, including a broken bathtub, cracked tiles and outstanding rent of more than R1m.
When contacted for comment last week, he accused the publication of targeting him and said the journalist should get bodyguards.
'I am asking you to have bodyguards. Do you hear me? I am not joking. It is not a threat ... Ask Bloy who I am, he will tell you. Put out that article, but tell your company to give you bodyguards.
'You've targeted me. I will handle this myself. Maybe Bloy has not told you who I am. Maybe they have not told [you] what kind of life I live ... It's not your job to target a person like this,' he said.
Slindile Khanyile, chair of the Sanef media freedom subcommittee said the organisation did not threats to journalists lightly, especially in a country where the work that journalists do and media freedom is protected by the constitution.
'So, we condemn the actions of not only this particular newsmaker, but anyone who makes it difficult for journalists to conduct their work,' she said.
She added that Zungu was contacted for comment, which is one of the most important principles of journalism — to give newsmakers the opportunity to tell their side of the story and a fair opportunity to respond to allegations before a story is published.
'When journalists do that, which is something that is required by media ethics as well as the press code, and they then encounter newsmakers who make it difficult for them to do their work, it is unfortunate,' she added.
She said journalists should always do the right thing even when reporting on threatening and aggressive people.
'Regardless of how a newsmaker may behave, journalists must always do the right thing by giving people the right to reply and being fair and be balanced in their reporting,' she said.
The Sunday Times has reported the matter at the Hillbrow police station.
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