By Thys Khiba – The Land Party Chief Leader, Gcobani Ndzongana noted and expressed their concern of the silence of South African National Editors Forum (SANEF) on the bullying tactics and ‘attack’ by News24 on The Star Editor Sifiso Mahlangu.
This comes after Independent Media responded to allegations made by News24 that its editors and Mahlangu had meeting earlier in the week to plan President Cyril Ramaphosa’s removal from government and the ANC’s presidency.
“Nowhere in the leaked document does it state or even infer that Independent Media is looking to ‘topple President Ramaphosa.’ To suggest otherwise, as you have done with this headline and article, is gross misinterpretation,” said Independent Media Editor-in-Chief, Aziz Hartley.
The Land Party believes that the article News24 was written discredit Mahlangu as a journalist and The Star as a media house. He continues to say that there are media houses that are allegedly speaking against progressive black leaders in the country.
“The Land Party calls for real media independence to stand up. The Land Party is taking note of the silence by SANEF when a black journalist, Star Editor Sifiso Mahlangu, is being attacked by another media house,” said Ndzongana.
Speaking to Free State Central News, Ndzongana questioned the role of the Sanef in advocating for black journalists equally with their white colleagues. He alleges that the forum speaks only when it is white journalists who are called by a court of law to account for their stories and crimes.
“It is now a trend that black journalists must be destroyed by all means necessary or be made to look passive and weak while journalists like Andria Basson and Karyn Maughan are receiving accolades for expressing their anti-black transformation views,” Ndzongana said.
The Land Party claims that News24 is guilty of campaign for a certain dominant faction within the governing party.
“First, it was Piet Rampedi, and Samkele Maseko and now they are after Sifiso Mahlangu.”
READ ALSO:
CENTRAL NEWS
—————————————————————
DO YOU HAVE A NEWS STORY OR AN OPINION FOR CENTRAL NEWS: E-mail us : newsroom@centralnews.co.za or Whatsapp us on 0833989119