Joe Thloloe new SA press ombudsman

Thloloe, an outstanding veteran journalist who also worked for The World (forerunner of today's Sowetan), Rand Daily Mail, Golden City Post and Drum magazine, will be at the helm of the Press Council of South Africa, a newly-formed institution that replaces the Press Founding Bodies Committee.

A total of 24 members – 12 from the office of the Ombudsman and 12 from the Appeal Panel – were unveiled to the media today and will form part of the council, which is set up by the newspaper and magazine industry to administer the Office of the Press Ombudsman and Appeal Panel.

Out of the 12 Appeal Panel members, six are public representatives – something that represents a unique feature in the history of SA media's administrative affairs.

First time

Ed Linington, the outgoing press ombudsman, told Bizcommunity.com: “This is the first time that a press council includes members of the public, who will have a say on matters related to critics of the press and press' accountability towards the public.

“The inclusion of public reps duly strengthens and raises the profile of the press body, which through the press code, has the duty to promote adherence to high standards of newspaper reporting and comment through self-regulation by the press ombudsman and Appeal Panel.”

The council's aims include, among others, upholding the right of freedom of speech and press freedom, as guaranteed in the SA Constitution.

“Linington did a tremendous job in the past 10 years,” Thloloe said, adding that his job is not to police but build on Linington's solid foundation in the aim of maintaining and upholding the highest standards of journalism.”

New chairperson

Furthermore, judge Ralph Zulman, who is due to retire from the Supreme Court of Appeal in Bloemfontein, has been appointed the new chairperson of the Appeal Panel, replacing Judge Edwin King.

The following are the Press Council's members for the office of the Ombudsman:

• Karin Espag (Forum for Community Journalist),
  
• Raymond Louw (SANEF),
  
• Peter Sullivan (Newspaper Association of SA),
  
• Silke Frierich (Magazines Publishers Association),
  
• Francina Elizabeth du Bruyn,
  
• Kenneth Sililo Mubu,
  
• Lindsay Clowes,
  
• Sibonsa Zaba Nyatikazi,
  
• Amina Frense, (SABC and SANEF),
  
• Justin Arenstein (AIP),
  
• Bewyn Petersen and
  
• Clyde Broster.

The list of members of the Appeal Panel is as follows:

• Ethel Lefentse Manyaka,
  
• Nomveliso Ntanjana,
  
• Brian Gibson,
  
• Ronnie Taurog,
  
• Simon Mantell and Peter Coetzee (public reps),
  
• Lizeka Mda,
  
• Neville Woudberg,
  
• Franz Kruger,
  
• Peter Mann, and
  
• Gerda Kruger and Susan Smuts (press reps).