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| ANC tries to muzzle media coverage of leadership conference | ANC tries to muzzle media coverage of leadership conference |
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| Security will be rigid at the African National Congress's (ANC) elective conference in Mangaung. Most sessions are closed to the media and the party has said it will use phone-jamming technology to prevent interruptions. Journalists who stray where they shouldn't will be given short shrift. | Security will be rigid at the African National Congress's (ANC) elective conference in Mangaung. Most sessions are closed to the media and the party has said it will use phone-jamming technology to prevent interruptions. Journalists who stray where they shouldn't will be given short shrift. |
| None of this will surprise critics who accuse the ANC of a creeping authoritarianism that is steadily eroding access to information. They point to repeated attempts to muzzle journalists, political interference at the public South African Broadcasting Corporation and opacity around everything from spending on the president's home to the inquiry into the Marikana mine massacre. | None of this will surprise critics who accuse the ANC of a creeping authoritarianism that is steadily eroding access to information. They point to repeated attempts to muzzle journalists, political interference at the public South African Broadcasting Corporation and opacity around everything from spending on the president's home to the inquiry into the Marikana mine massacre. |
| Most derided of all is the protection of state information bill, or "secrecy bill", that activists, unions and writers warn could turn back the clock to a police state. The bill was passed by South Africa's national council of provinces recently – "our democracy died a little," said the Mail & Guardian - and will go before the general assembly and President Jacob Zuma for approval early next year. | Most derided of all is the protection of state information bill, or "secrecy bill", that activists, unions and writers warn could turn back the clock to a police state. The bill was passed by South Africa's national council of provinces recently – "our democracy died a little," said the Mail & Guardian - and will go before the general assembly and President Jacob Zuma for approval early next year. |
| In an interview with the Guardian, Zuma defended the bill. "I think there is no country that can say there are no secrets, everything is open - even the old democracies. In fact if you took that piece of bill and compared it to other leading democracies in the world, you will realise how modest it is. In other places, there are places you cannot even touch, and they are democracies: it has not reduced their being democracy." | In an interview with the Guardian, Zuma defended the bill. "I think there is no country that can say there are no secrets, everything is open - even the old democracies. In fact if you took that piece of bill and compared it to other leading democracies in the world, you will realise how modest it is. In other places, there are places you cannot even touch, and they are democracies: it has not reduced their being democracy." |
| South Africa, he said, is a victim of its own success. "It's because South Africa is a constitutional democracy that is very open that people judge the debate as if the debates in South Africa are like in other places. They are not. South Africa is more open and that's why the debate is at that level. No country would have no security at all on information, but I think in South Africa everything gets a little bit exaggerated because South Africa is a real open democracy. | South Africa, he said, is a victim of its own success. "It's because South Africa is a constitutional democracy that is very open that people judge the debate as if the debates in South Africa are like in other places. They are not. South Africa is more open and that's why the debate is at that level. No country would have no security at all on information, but I think in South Africa everything gets a little bit exaggerated because South Africa is a real open democracy. |
| "In South Africa you can say anything about the president anyhow. You can't do so in the United States, which is a leading democracy. You can't even draw the president there on The Spear [a satrical painting of Zuma that caused controversy]. Britain has a lot of secrets. It is exaggerated because South Africa is too open. It's an open society in Africa, in a place where people say there was no democracy before, and therefore everything tends to be taken in exaggerated kind of fashion." | "In South Africa you can say anything about the president anyhow. You can't do so in the United States, which is a leading democracy. You can't even draw the president there on The Spear [a satrical painting of Zuma that caused controversy]. Britain has a lot of secrets. It is exaggerated because South Africa is too open. It's an open society in Africa, in a place where people say there was no democracy before, and therefore everything tends to be taken in exaggerated kind of fashion." |
| Zuma accused journalists of pushing boundaries too far. "Because the media here were suppressed for a long time, once it found freedom I think at times they go a little bit overboard. Even parliament go a little bit overboard on matters of that nature." | Zuma accused journalists of pushing boundaries too far. "Because the media here were suppressed for a long time, once it found freedom I think at times they go a little bit overboard. Even parliament go a little bit overboard on matters of that nature." |
| Opponents of the secrecy bill are unmoved. Although some of its harshest provisions have been watered down, they say the absence of a strengthened public interest defence clause will endanger whistleblowers and have a chilling effect on investigative journalism aimed at uncovering corruption. They argue the bill remains unconstitutional and have vowed to fight it all the way. | Opponents of the secrecy bill are unmoved. Although some of its harshest provisions have been watered down, they say the absence of a strengthened public interest defence clause will endanger whistleblowers and have a chilling effect on investigative journalism aimed at uncovering corruption. They argue the bill remains unconstitutional and have vowed to fight it all the way. |
| Some observers note that ANC leaders are regular visitors to China for the benefit of "political education" from the Communist Party. | Some observers note that ANC leaders are regular visitors to China for the benefit of "political education" from the Communist Party. |
| There is concern about the implications for the SABC, still the main source of news for most South Africans. This week an anonymous letter said to be written by SABC reporters, producers and presenters raised allegations of political meddling. | There is concern about the implications for the SABC, still the main source of news for most South Africans. This week an anonymous letter said to be written by SABC reporters, producers and presenters raised allegations of political meddling. |
| The letter contained complaints that journalists were "taken to task" for not giving adequate coverage to Zuma. Political reporters were allegedly removed from their posts and analysts from their regular shows without explanation. "The climate of uncertainty and fear has created a state of paranoia in both the television and radio newsrooms and has lowered morale," it said. | The letter contained complaints that journalists were "taken to task" for not giving adequate coverage to Zuma. Political reporters were allegedly removed from their posts and analysts from their regular shows without explanation. "The climate of uncertainty and fear has created a state of paranoia in both the television and radio newsrooms and has lowered morale," it said. |
| The letter emerged after the SABC brought three journalists to its studios to debate the ANC conference only to cancel at the last minute because, it said later, no member of the party had been invited. On Thursday it was reported that another interview, with the satrical cartoonist and Zuma critic Jonathan Shapiro, had been scrapped due to "orders from above". | The letter emerged after the SABC brought three journalists to its studios to debate the ANC conference only to cancel at the last minute because, it said later, no member of the party had been invited. On Thursday it was reported that another interview, with the satrical cartoonist and Zuma critic Jonathan Shapiro, had been scrapped due to "orders from above". |
| Marian Shinn, shadow communications minister for the opposition Democratic Alliance (DA), said: "The intensification of the SABC's interference with free journalistic expression and political commentary is threatening the freedom of the South Africa's press and by extension one of the core pillars of our democracy. | Marian Shinn, shadow communications minister for the opposition Democratic Alliance (DA), said: "The intensification of the SABC's interference with free journalistic expression and political commentary is threatening the freedom of the South Africa's press and by extension one of the core pillars of our democracy. |
| "Our public broadcaster seems intent on exercising this power, not in a manner which broadens perspective and inform South African citizens, but shields the government, and particularly the president, from criticism." | "Our public broadcaster seems intent on exercising this power, not in a manner which broadens perspective and inform South African citizens, but shields the government, and particularly the president, from criticism." |
| The SABC has also been accused of sidelining Zuma's rival Julius Malema, forbidding terms such as "Nkandlagate" or "Zumaville" to describe the president's home and even banning an animated advert that showed Zuma dining on fish and chips. | The SABC has also been accused of sidelining Zuma's rival Julius Malema, forbidding terms such as "Nkandlagate" or "Zumaville" to describe the president's home and even banning an animated advert that showed Zuma dining on fish and chips. |
| Zuma himselfis pursuing a dozen separate legal actions against the media and has been criticised for using the courts to frustrate attempts to investigate corruption allegations against him. | Zuma himselfis pursuing a dozen separate legal actions against the media and has been criticised for using the courts to frustrate attempts to investigate corruption allegations against him. |
| The DA has said it has yet to receive an assurance that the final, unexpurgated report of the Marikana inquiry will be made public. Such concerns, however, are unlikely to top the agenda in Mangaung. | The DA has said it has yet to receive an assurance that the final, unexpurgated report of the Marikana inquiry will be made public. Such concerns, however, are unlikely to top the agenda in Mangaung. |
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