South Africa

(FXI/IFEX) – The following is a 12 May 2000 FXI report on recent freedom of expression news from South Africa: FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION NEWS FROM SOUTH AFRICA – MAY 12 2000 ADVERTISING/ CENSORSHIP – On May 4, “The Citizen” reported that a spokesperson for Carniking and Bio Caval Millennium Show and Jumping festival, Vivienne Tothill, […]

(FXI/IFEX) – The following is a 3 May 2000 FXI report on the current freedom of expression situation in South Africa: WORLD PRESS FREEDOM DAY MAY 3 2000 INTRODUCTION The Freedom of Expression Institute would once again like to use the occasion of the ninth anniversary of World Press Freedom Day to reflect on the […]

FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION NEWS FROM SOUTH AFRICA – APRIL 20 2000 ACCESS TO INFORMATION – “Business Day” reported on April 20 that the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) had proposed sweeping changes to its listing requirements designed to bolster investor confidence in South Africa’s (SA) equity market. The proposals, to be published for comment, would raise […]

Paris, 13 April 2000 For immediate release WAN To Meet South African President Representatives of the World Association of Newspapers will meet President Thabo Mbeki, of South Africa, in Pretoria on Tuesday (April 18) to discuss the struggle for freedom of the press and democracy, particularly in Africa. The interview will be offered to newspapers […]

The following is a 24 February 2000 IPI letter to the chairperson of the South African Human Rights Commission: Dr Barney Pityana Chairperson South African Human Rights Commission Private Bag 2700 Houghton 2041 Vienna, 24 February 2000 By fax: 2711-4841360 Dear Dr Pityana, On behalf of the International Press Institute (IPI), the global network of […]

STATEMENT FROM ARTICLE 19 ON THE HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION OF SOUTH AFRICA’S INVESTIGATION INTO RACISM IN THE MEDIA 18 February 2000 The Human Rights Commission of South Africa has now issued over 30 subpoenas requiring newspaper editors and other media workers to appear before it, as part of an investigation into racism in the media. […]

(FXI/IFEX) – The following is a 13 February 2000 FXI statement: FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION INSTITUTE DISTURBED BY MEDIA SUBPOENAS The Freedom of Expression Institute is disturbed to learn that the Human Rights Commission has subpoenaed the editors of the Sunday Times and the Mail and Guardian. FXI has consistently expressed its concern regarding threats by […]

The following is a 26 January 2000 FXI press release: FXI WELCOMES THE PASSING OF ACCESS TO INFORMATION LEGISLATION The Freedom of Expression Institute welcomes Parliament’s passing of the Promotion of Access to Information Act. Despite the fact that today’s Act is totally different from the omnibus “government in the sunshine” act first envisaged some […]

(FXI/IFEX) – South African Press Agency reported that the international news agency Reuters has suspended its television operation in Cape Town after reviewing threatening telephone calls its staff have received in recent months. On 19 October 1999, the agency’s Johannesburg office said the threats had raised serious concern about the security of staff. But Reuters […]

(WiPC/IFEX) – On 23 April 1999, poet Mzwakhe Mbuli was sentenced to thirteen years for armed robbery and five years for possession of a hand grenade. **Updates IFEX alert of 9 December 1998** Mbuli continues to claim his innocence. According to him the whole affair is a set-up. He alleges that he was framed by […]

HASH(0x895c8e8) (WAN/IFEX) – The following is a WAN press release: WAN Protests South African Investigation The World Association of Newspapers (WAN) has expressed its serious concern to South African President Nelson Mandela about a government “investigation” of “media racism” by a Commission with powers of search, seizure and arrest. The announcement by the South African […]

(WiPC/IFEX) – WiPC is expressing concerns over the motives behind the detention of poet Mzwakhe and his continued denial of bail. Mzwakhe Mbuli was arrested in October 1997 near Pretoria for participating in a bank robbery. He was immediately remanded in custody and charged with armed robbery and possession of unlicensed arms. In the following […]

(FXI/IFEX) – Layla Cassim, a grade ten pupil at Crawford College, a South African school, was suspended from the college on 20 November 1998 following a request to the headmaster by the Jewish Defence League to investigate claims that Cassim had placed an article she wrote on the school’s notice board, reflecting the Palestinian Liberation […]

(FXI/IFEX) – The Peninsula Technikon took an extraordinary decision on 17 November 1998 to expel student journalist Max Hamata following his article published a few months ago. Hamata was expelled from the institution by an internal disciplinary committee, even though he was not present at the hearing. Although he had his own legal representative, Hamata […]

(FXI/IFEX) – According to FXI, on 29 September 1998, the Supreme Court of Appeal made a ruling in favour of “City Press” newspaper that journalists can escape liability for false and defamatory facts by showing they were reasonable or careful. “The judgement will release South African journalists from a long list of rulings which held […]

(FXI/IFEX) – Max Hamata, who wrote an article published in the “Mail & Guardian” (18-24 September) titled “Sex for sale on campus,” has received threatening phone calls from anonymous callers. Hamata’s article on prostitution at Peninsula Technikon (“Pentech”) alleges that sex services are available from certain female students for both on- and off-campus men. One […]