Sanef condemns BLF’s behaviour
BLF members have previously been accused of assaulting news reporters.
Andile Mngxitama addresses the other members of the Black First Land First movement outside the entrance to the public protector office premises after they marched from the University of Pretoria, 6 October 2016, Pretoria. Picture: Jacques Nelles
The South African National Editors Forum’ (Sanef) on Wednesday condemned the harassment of investigative journalist Micah Reddy.
Reddy, of amaBhungane, who has exposed many of the #Guptaleaks, was harassed by Black First Land First (BLF) supporters in Braamfontein, Johannesburg, on Monday.
The harassment occurred after Reddy took part in a debate that was aired by the SABC. He was surrounded by BLF supporters as he left the production set.
According to a Sanef statement, “Reddy was verbally abused and harassed by about five people accompanying BLF founder and president Andile Mngxitama as they followed him to his car”.
Sanef says there needed to be urgent police intervention so that journalists can be protected in order for them to do their work without intimidation or harassment.
“We specifically call on the South African Police Service to play its role in protecting journalists as there is no shortage of evidence from a number of events where BLF hooligans acted against the law in their attempts to silence journalists and protect the interests of number of political players and the Gupta family,” Sanef said.
Earlier this month, Sanef obtained a court interdict against the BLF and its members who harassed and assaulted editors.
The BLF movement have published a list of journalists they identified as “targets”.
“The BLF movement continues to both harass and intimidate journalists, and violate the court order,” Sanef said.
“It will make a mockery of our criminal justice system if this group is allowed to continue with its tactics of instilling fear and muzzling journalists, and interfering with the public’s right to know.”
