SANEF condemns ANC regional chair's incitement to burn paper

Mthembu said, if Faku was quoted correctly his statement was "unacceptable". In the opinion of SANEF, an attempt to incite people to burn down a newspaper should draw instant repudiation from the party leadership and the instigation of drastic disciplinary action against the person. Indeed, the organisation calls on President Jacob Zuma to take action against Faku immediately.

The Herald reported that Faku, addressing supporters from the steps of the Port Elizabeth City Hall as they celebrated the ANC's local government election victory in the city, that the paper was the party's biggest enemy and then shouted, "Down with The Herald, down! Go and burn The Herald."

South Africa downgraded in press freedom, government shows no affect

SANEF has noted, as have international organisations such as Freedom House and Amnesty International, the growing hostility of the ruling party towards the press. It was one of the reasons Freedom House downgraded South Africa from a "free" country to "partly free" in its review of freedom around the world.

There is no indication that these accusations have had any effect on the ANC leadership.

SANEF has noted statements by ANC leaders, including Zuma, that the press is the real opposition and enemy of the ruling party and their attempts to lay the blame for the party's losses in the local government elections on the media.

Free press essential for constitutional rights

The organisation is concerned that leadership hostility towards the media will spread to grassroots party supporters and lead to journalists being attacked and injured while carrying out their duties. Already at the Faku meeting, a member of the crowd tried to intimidate a Herald reporter.

Aggression against the media will not only endanger journalists and their colleagues in newspaper employment but restrict the ability of the press to inform the public of what is happening in their communities and the nation as a whole.

In addition to the disciplining of Faku, SANEF calls on the government to live up to its constitutional duty to respect and protect the freedom of the press to enable it to carry out its duty to keep the public informed.