Zille to Survé: Is Independent a mouthpiece for the Zuma faction of the ANC?

Zille: If the Independent Group is not willing to uphold the letter of the press code then it must be honest with the public and change the “Independent” part of its name.

For more:

• Times Live: Helen Zille's open letter to Iqbal Survé: iLIVE... Democratic Alliance leader Helen Zille has posed some questions to Independent News and Media SA (INMSA) chair Iqbal Survé following recent events around the media group and various individuals connected with it... or the case of Max du Preez, (and quite a number of senior staff) previously connected with it.

  The group has lost a number of senior staff since Survé took over just over 13 months ago. Some appear to have left voluntarily, others perhaps not so voluntarily, leading to some in the media suggesting there is or was a purge of Indy staff who no longer 'fit'.

  In her letter, Zille mentions the issue of the apology the group issued to the Presidency after the latter complained about the contents of a Du Preez opinion piece. She also has a question or two regarding the two senior staffers wearing ANC colours at the party's 103^rd birthday bash and asks Survé whether he concurs, "contrary to what you assured me when you visited me in my office several months ago", that the "Independent Group" has now forfeited its independence and become a mouthpiece for the Zuma faction of the ANC?

  Zille suggests that it seems "Independent Newspapers" appears to have "abandoned their readers to pursue a political project. If this is the case, then the Group must be honest with readers about this and not pretend to be anything different."

• BD Live: DA wins Nkandla SMS fight... Meanwhile, the Constitutional Court ruled yesterday on an election campaign SMS by the Democratic Alliance (DA) prior to last year's general election.

  The court said it was fair comment when the DA said in its SMS, part of its electioneering campaign, that "The Nkandla report shows how Zuma stole your money to build his R246m home".

  The ruling is believed to pave the way for robust messaging ahead of future elections.

Also see: Daily Maverick: Did Zuma steal money for Nkandla? Constitutional Court decides on Fact/Opinion/Freedom of Speech.