The meeting was attended by Management Board members representing the Western Cape, Eastern Cape, Gauteng, Mpumalanga, North West and Kwazulu-Natal.
The meeting reaffirmed the organisation's theme adopted at last year's Bosberaad - Growth, Development, Diversity - as well as the Mission Statement, which reads: "To promote the interests of and nurture excellence in community journalism through a national programme of diversity, development and growth. We will strive to deepen our credibility among all sectors of South African society."
In this context, the meeting made the following decisions, among others:
A decision was made to call for a meeting with the Newspaper Association of South Africa and representatives of print media South Africa to discuss the Forum's structural relationship with the PMSA and NASA in the light of the restructuring that is taking place within the Community Press Association following the withdrawal of Caxton, Independent Newspapers and Media 24. The Forum is keen to clarify issues of structure, funding, membership and constitutional parameters, among other things.
The meeting was attended by Mansoor Jaffer, chairperson and Western Cape representative, Tobie van den Bergh, vice-chair and Mpumalanga representative, Karen Espag (Gauteng), Diane Proctor (Kwazulu-Natal), Fahdiel Manuel, who is temporarily representing the Eastern Cape until structures can be set up there, Hennie Stander (North West), Nontyantambo Petros (Grocott's Mail editor and Eastern Cape observer at the meeting), Andries Botha (former PRO) and Hugo Redelinghuys (Sanlam).
* Journalists from more than 150 community newspapers with a combined circulation of close to 3 million copies per week, are members of the Forum for Community Journalists.
Cathy Pestana
Tel: (011) 721-3200/1/2
