IFP members protest outside ‘City Press’ offices over Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi piece

A group of Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) members gathered at the Media24 offices in Randburg on Friday, demanding to see the publication’s editor Mondli Makhanya.

The party’s members were there to hand over a memorandum against an opinion piece (Hail the mass murderer) written by Makhanya about the IFP’s founder Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi.

The IFP also said Makhanya has a personal political grudge against the party.

“This so-called editor is nothing more than a former ANC operative with an agenda, who has, in City Press, found a platform to abuse his former foe Prince Buthelezi, as well as the IFP,” the party said in a statement.

‘The show goes on’:

Despite calls from the South African National Editors’ Forum (Sanef) to cancel the planned protest, IFP members took the streets.

“This is rather unfortunate as it creates an impression that there are no available avenues to resolve whatever issues anyone might have against journalists or a media house. As Sanef, we view the planned march as an act of intimidation by the IFP, directed at those who criticise the party or its leadership.”

IFP members carried placards at the picket with the words: “Respect the press code”, Rights carry responsibilities” and “Facts not fiction”.

The party’s national spokesperson, Mkhuleko Hlengwa, told the newspaper that “we have not come here to silence City Press. We have come here exercising our rights. We have serious issues with the editor of City Press”.

IFP’s complains to be escalated

Timothy Molobi, the City Press news editor, accepted the memorandum and stated that the matter would be taken up with his superiors.

“We have noted your concerns, we have noted everything that you have said. And we thank you once again for the manner in which you approached us because there is always recourse for everything. We don’t have answers for now. We are taking this to the leadership of Media24 in Cape Town and hope that they will get back to you,” he said.

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