Freedom of expression under siege?

[Dave A]

There are strong warning signs that there is a shift on freedom of expression issues with lots of fires breaking out at the same time.

Suddenly it seems the Publications Bill issue is not over.

South Africa's editors and the government's legal team will meet "as a matter of urgency" over concerns about the Film and Publication Bill.

This was announced in a statement jointly issued by the government and the South African National Editors' Forum (Sanef) after talks at Tuynhuys in Cape Town on Wednesday.

Also on the agenda was the handling of media coverage of Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang.

Sanef and the government had agreed to convene a "special seminar" on the media's role in democracy and the balance between the right to privacy, the public interest, media ethics and freedom of expression, they said.
full story from M&G here

Any linkage between discussion on freedom of the press and recent coverage of a government minister is, I'm sure, entirely coincidental.

Of course, we get a little sample of how the ANC would like to debate issues in this report:

There was an uproar in the National Assembly on Wednesday when Democratic Alliance (DA) MP Mike Waters was ordered to leave after a written question he posed to Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang was ruled out of order.

Speaker Baleka Mbete ruled the question -- whether Tshabalala-Msimang had been convicted of theft in 1976 while employed at a hospital in Botswana, and whether she had disclosed this information to President Thabo Mbeki when she was appointed to her portfolio -- to be out of order.

"I have ruled the question by Mr Waters out of order because it transgresses the rules and practice of the National Assembly ... which forbid the use of offensive or unbecoming language.

"It is patently clear from the question that was submitted ... that it reflected on the integrity of the minister, as it implies impropriety on her part," said Mbete.

Her ruling provoked an uproar from DA benches, with both DA MPs Ian Davidson and Tertius Delport rising on points of order, but being ordered to take their seats by Mbete. Waters himself then rose, and called on Mbete to tell him which words in his question were "unbecoming".

Mbete told him to take his seat, saying she was finished with the matter, but Waters repeated: "I would like you to direct me those words!"

She then ordered him out of the House.
full story from M&G here

Chucked out for requesting an explanation. Clearly public debate and opposition is counter-productive, a notion reinforced by this little tidbit as the ANC welcomes their crosstitutes:

The defection of DA provincial chairperson Kent Morkel and provincial executive member Kobus Brynard was announced at a high-level ANC press conference in Cape Town led by national chairperson Mosiuoa Lekota.

Lekota lauded Morkel and Brynard as genuinely patriotic South Africans.

Others not in the ANC should reflect on the usefulness of remaining in political parties and formations that "can only criticise", expending energy that could be positively expended if they joined the majority, which was inside and behind the ANC, the defence minister said.

"Because the real thing our country needs, is a united people that puts its energies in the same direction. Inside the ANC is a very wide space for very intense debate and evaluations of policy," he said.

Once capable men and women joined the ANC, they became a valuable asset in shaping policies of quality.
from IOL here

A rather solid argument for a one party state, I think.

And then if there was any remaining doubt around how things stand at the SABC:

The South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) had demonstrated nothing but arrogance in pulling out of the South African National Editors' Forum (Sanef) over reports about Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang, said the Media Institute of Southern Africa (Misa) on Wednesday.

The SABC's "drastic position" was a clear departure from the mainstream media and seemed to suggest it was "distancing itself from being a media house", Misa-South Africa spokesperson Dumisani Nyalunga said in a statement.

"Misa-SA would have expected the SABC to act as a champion and loyalist of press freedom and media freedom in general," he said.
full story from M&G here

From the same story, we have the SABC position:

The national broadcaster reportedly said that it would no longer stand idle "whilst we are being made a whipping boy and a scapegoat by the profit-driven media".

"Even less are we prepared to associate with the enemies of our freedom and our people.

"We cannot remain quiet while our mothers and our democratically chosen leaders are stripped naked for the sole reason of selling newspapers."

I guess from that "our freedom and our people" are the party.