Hands off our journalists, BLF

While it might not be official government policy to intimidate journalists and clamp down on media freedom, several recent incidents unfolding in our democratic country are cause for concern.

Most notable is arguably the attack launched by Black First Land First (BLF) on so-called “racist white journalists”, as well as black journalists who mimic “these white agents of white monopoly capital” – according to a statement on the organisation’s website.

The statement lays out plans for BLF to target a list of “racist, white journalists” as part of its protest action against “white media”.

This list contains prominent names such as Peter Bruce, Sam Sole, Adriaan Basson, Stephen Grootes, Max du Preez, Barry Bateman and Alec Hogg – and the group has vowed to update this list of “white racists that masquerade as journalists in defence of white monopoly capital”.

Furthermore, the BLF threatens to “deal with each of them as rogue racists, who deserve to be treated in the same manner which Bruce was treated”. BLF members last week gathered outside Bruce’s home in protest over a column he had written about the Guptas.

This is nothing short of a threat of violence and intimidation against journalists that the BLF has deemed as racists, but who are essentially speaking out against the controversial Gupta family who have so effectively captured the president and key state institutions.

The BLF also took issue with a number of black of journalists – namely Ferial Haffajee, Carima Brown and Eusebius McKaiser – who were warned to repent and ask forgiveness for being “used” by white monopoly capital.

It is obvious that the BLF are simply puppets of the Guptas. So while a media clampdown might not be official government policy, keep in mind that it would certainly not bother our president too much at this point.

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