PIC out of the Avusa picture; Mantashe mauls media

(Image: ANC)

For more:

• Business Day: PIC opts not to support Times Media buyout of Avusa... It seems PIC is a little concerned about the way in which Avusa has been underperforming, so it's a case of "Thanks, but no thanks".

• Politicsweb: Mantashe goes off about the media again... Mantashe clearly is not too fond of the media, which has led Andrew Donaldson to comment on what he describes as a "dreary despatch" in which Mantashe made his feelings on the media plain. Again.

• Sowetan: Lack of quality journalism is a serious concern... Gwede Mantashe is much concerned over the state of the country's media. In his piece, he writes: "South African media industry suffers from a dearth of journalistic quality. The newsrooms abound with junior reporters lacking in the most basic skills associated with the trade."

  So that's rather like 95% of the country's municipalities, then...where a lack of skills and incompetence and, if reports are to believed, a generous helping of corruption, appear to abound. Mantashe goes on to write that "we have sought to highlight to various editors that it is imperative that they endeavour to employ knowledgeable, experienced and dedicated reporters".

  Isn't that exactly what editors do try to do?