(MISA/IFEX) – South Africa’s ruling African National Congress (ANC) and 92 of its serving and former members of parliament (MPs), including four cabinet ministers, have threatened to sue “This Day” newspaper for ZAR48 million (approximately US$7.4 million) for publishing a list of names in connection with Parliament’s probe into the misuse of travel vouchers. The […]
(MISA/IFEX) – South Africa’s ruling African National Congress (ANC) and 92 of its serving and former members of parliament (MPs), including four cabinet ministers, have threatened to sue “This Day” newspaper for ZAR48 million (approximately US$7.4 million) for publishing a list of names in connection with Parliament’s probe into the misuse of travel vouchers. The list of names appeared in the newspaper’s 2 September 2004 edition.
Lawyers for the ruling party claim that unverified statements were made in the article, suggesting that “the ANC is not fit to govern the country as its public representatives are corrupt and guilty of criminal conduct”. As a result, the ANC and its leaders who were named in the article are demanding an unconditional retraction of the article and written apologies to all the allegedly injured parties.
The ANC action has been condemned by media freedom organisations, including MISA-South Africa and the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ). “This Day” editor Justice Malala said the threatened lawsuit is “nothing but bullying on the part of the ruling party.”
MISA-South Africa said elected representatives in South Africa should refrain from engaging in litigation against the media, as they do in other genuine democracies.
