Sanef calls on SA Jewish Report to abide by Press Council ruling after expulsion

The South African National Editors’ Forum (Sanef) called on the publishers of the SA Jewish Report to reconsider their position, following the publication’s expulsion from the Press Council of South Africa (PCSA).

This comes after the newspaper’s refusal to apologise and retract an image it published which labelled a lobbyist group as antisemitic.

In a statement on Friday afternoon, PCSA executive director Latiefa Mobara said the publication refused to obey rulings by the acting press ombud and PCSA chair of appeals judge Bernard Ngoepe.

It is the first time in the history of the press and online media’s regulatory body that a member has been expelled.

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Press Council chair judge Phillip Levinsohn said the decision was taken after lengthy correspondence and after the SA Jewish Report had refused to obey the rulings against it.

“The SA Jewish Report appealed the ruling by acting ombud Johan Retief in the complaint, SA BDS Coalition and GIWUSA v SA Jewish Report, but their application for leave to appeal was dismissed by judge Ngoepe.”

However, the SA Jewish Report refused to publish the ruling against them.

Sanef said it was unfortunate that the South African Jewish Report forced the hand of PCSA to take the unprecedented action of expelling the publication after it refused to abide by the rulings.

“Sanef calls on all members of the PCSA to respect the Press Council and its rulings. The Press Council is the bulwark against interference in the media and any self-respecting media organisation should be a member of the Press Council.”

“The Press Council continues to adjudicate complaints by members of the public and their findings, regardless of how they affect any member, must be respected,” Sanef said.

Sanef has implored the publishers of the SA Jewish Report to reconsider their position and abide by the ruling and to return to the fold of the PCSA.

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