Press eviction from parliament condemned by international watchdog
The International Press Institute (IPI), a media-watchdog based in Vienna, has come out strongly against plans by the SA government to evict journalists from their offices in the national parliament.
About a year-and-a-half ago the government said that it planned to move the media out of the offices which it has used for over a century to make space for parliamentary staff. The intention is to have them housed on premises outside the parliamentary grounds. The journalists have protested that this will limit their access to information and negatively affect coverage of politics.
The IPI said in a statement that "South Africa should not be surprised if people outside the country perceive this move as a serious inroad on media freedom and begin questioning South Africa's integrity in furthering good governance."
