South Africa

(FXI/IFEX) – 4 June 2004 – The Freedom of Expression Institute (FXI) has sent a written submission to the Department of Justice in response to its draft discussion document for a proposed hate speech bill. The objectives of this proposed law are to, among others, criminalise hate speech and also to give effect to the […]

(FXI/IFEX) – The following is an FXI statement: FXI expresses concerns over state of media freedom in the World as well as in South Africa As South Africa celebrates its first decade of democracy, and while the international community observes another World Press Freedom Day, FXI has urged the international community to take note of […]

(FXI/IFEX) – The following is a 26 April 2004 FXI press release: FXI RELEASES THIRD REPORT ON STATE OF MEDIA FREEDOM IN SOUTH AFRICA The Anti-Censorship Programme (ACP) of the Freedom of Expression Institute (FXI) has released its third six monthly report highlighting censorship activities and other violations of the right to freedom of expression […]

(IPI/IFEX) – The following is an IPI press release: Vienna, 22 April 2004 IPI Criticises Decision to Relocate SA Parliamentary Press Gallery Breaking an agreement made last year, the secretary of parliament, Sindiso Mfenyana, this week told members of the South African Parliamentary Press Gallery Association (PPGA) to vacate their offices in parliament by 23 […]

(FXI/IFEX) – The FXI has sent a formal protest letter to the member of the Executive Council responsible for safety and security in Limpopo Province, Dikeledi Magadzi, calling for action against a police officer who threatened to assault a journalist who works for the newspapers “Limpopo Mirror” and “Zoutsopansberger”. On 1 April 2004, during a […]

(FXI/IFEX) – The following is an FXI statement: FXI welcomes release of some documents requested from Johannesburg Water, but continues with legal action to obtain others The Freedom of Expression Institute (FXI) welcomes a decision by Johannesburg Water (JW) to grant access to three ‘confidential’ documents. The corporation has refused to do so since April […]

(FXI/IFEX) – The following is an FXI statement: 27 February 2004 FXI CALLS FOR COMPLETE RETRACTION OF ANTI-TERROR BILL The Freedom of Expression Institute (FXI) has today, Friday 27 February 2004, welcomed the temporary shelving of the controversial “Protection of Constitutional Democracy against Terrorist and Related Activities Bill” (the Bill) by the ruling African National […]

(FXI/IFEX) – The FXI has strongly condemned the physical attack against a journalist working for the country’s public broadcaster, the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC), in the rural town of Barbeton, in Mpumulanga province. According to a news report featured in the country’s largest circulating daily, “The Sowetan”, of 17 February 2004, journalist Mpumi Phaswa, […]

(MISA/IFEX) – MISA-South Africa (MISA-SA) applauds the Hefer Commission of Inquiry’s decision to set aside a subpoena and “invitations” issued to former “Sunday Times” newspaper journalist Ranjeni Munusamy and several other journalists and editors. In a 5 December 2003 statement, Justice Joos Hefer said he believed that Munusamy’s testimony was of “peripheral value.” Justice Hefer […]

(MISA/IFEX) – On 13 November 2003, Judge Essop Patel delivered a ruling that should give some relief to media operations and journalists who are harassed by sources and others threatening litigation to obtain copies of news articles before they are published, MISA said. Judge Patel ruled in the Pretoria High Court that it would be […]

(MISA/IFEX) – Lawyers for a Cape businessman have applied for an urgent interdict and have brought an Access to Information challenge against the “Cape Argus” newspaper to prevent it from publishing an article, which they allege is “defamatory” and “injures [their] client’s dignity.” George Hadjidakis, a major shareholder in the South African 7-Eleven chain and […]

(FXI/IFEX) – The following is an FXI statement: Re: Increasing inroads into media freedom is cause for serious concern The Freedom of Expression Institute has signaled its deep alarm at the rising number of cases affecting media freedom as well as the increasing inroads into media freedom in South Africa in the recent past. In […]

(IPI/IFEX) – The following is a 13 November 2003 IPI press release: Vienna, 13 November 2003 IPI Disappointed by South African Court’s Decision to Reject Journalist’s Right of Confidentiality The International Press Institute (IPI), the global network of editors, leading journalists and media executives in over 120 countries, is disappointed at the decision of the […]

(MISA/FXI/IFEX) – The following is an 11 September 2003 FXI, MISA-South Africa, Media Workers Association of Southern Africa and South African National Editors’ Forum joint statement: Media organisations to fight Ranjeni ruling The South Africa Chapter of the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA-SA), the Freedom of Expression Institute (FXI), the South African National Editors’ […]

(FXI/IFEX) – On 28 October 2003, FXI and the South African History Archive (SAHA) issued a press statement expressing their dismay at the South African intelligence services’ submission to the Hefer Commission, in response to the commission’s request for intelligence documentation relevant to its inquiry. While the intelligence services have not outrightly refused the commission […]

(FXI/IFEX) – The following is a 16 October 2003 FXI statement: Release of second report of the FXI’s Anti-Censorship Programme The Freedom of Expression Institute’s (FXI) Anti-Censorship Programme (ACP) has just released its second report, which tracks the progress of the Programme since the release of its first report in May 2003. The report notes […]