Parliament and media at each others' throats again

Relations between Parliament's management and the media are tense again, and once more threats by management to gag a reporter - ironically over the Protection of Information Bill - have led to the two sides seeking talks. After all, they need each other.

By Carien du Plessis

5 Oct 2011

Parliament and media at each others' throats again

An anonymous quote over a highly contentious matter amid increasing tension between parliamentary management and journalists has this week sparked a full-blown fight.

Secretary of Parliament Zingile Dingane has threatened to withdraw the accreditation of a member of Independent Newspapers' parliamentary team, Deon de Lange, after he anonymously quoted a senior parliamentary source criticising the way the ANC has handled the process around the Protection of State Information Bill (POIB aka Secrecy Bill).

"It's like the blind leading the blind and (the ANC) are confusing everybody," the official reportedly told De Lange.

They cited a draft 2009 code, which had not been agreed on by journalists, to justify their threatened action to withdraw his accreditation.

Continue reading the full story on www.dailymaverick.co.za.

See also:

Constitutionally Speaking: Can Parliament censor journalists?
Sowetan: Parliament somersaults on the banning of journalist
Times Live: Parliament to seek advice on media policy
Eyewitness News: 'Hands off' our journalists - Press Clubs
Politicsweb: Parliament's media policy beyond absurd - PGA
Mail & Guardian Online: 'Absurd' Parliament policy news to us, say media
News24: Media unaware of Parliament's media policy

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Carien du Plessis

About Carien du Plessis

After spending her student days at political rallies, campus newspapers, and in lecture halls, and after an extended overseas working holiday, Carien du Plessis started newspaper reporting in 2003, pissing off (the issue of female dogs apply here) and even pleasing some of her subjects. In 2011 she crossed the floor to work for the Daily Maverick and in November 2011 she became senior political reporter at City Press. Follow her on Twitter at @carienduplessis.