Julius Malema, African National Congress Youth League president, says that Boer journalists are after him. Malema has been targeted by the media in South Africa over various statements he has made and his own business dealings.
Originally uploaded by Pan-African News Wire File Photos
JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA Mar 22 2010 17:58
ANC Youth League president Julius Malema believes "white boer" journalists are conspiring against him, 702 Eye Witness News reported on Monday.
Addressing young people at a Human Rights Day rally in Mafikeng, Malema criticised what he called "white boer" journalists and claimed they had a vendetta against him.
702 reported that Malema told the crowd that white journalists knew nothing about the struggle for freedom.
He also said that African journalists were being undermined.
Malema said in his address that the Sharpeville uprising of 1960 -- which later became a massacre when police opened fire and killed 69 people protesting the pass laws -- was organised by the ANC, but hijacked by the Pan Africanist Congress.
Malema told the crowd they needed to learn the correct history of the country.
The youth league president also reiterated his call for the nationalisation of mines, telling the Mafikeng residents that they should own the minerals of their region.
Potshots
Two opposition leaders took potshots at Malema during a special Human Rights Day debate in a joint sitting of both houses of Parliament on March 16.
Pieter Mulder, the leader of the Freedom Front Plus, who is also deputy minister for agriculture and fisheries in the Zuma Cabinet, said that Malema is an ill-disciplined, rude and conflict-seeking juvenile.
"He is not only an embarrassment to the ANC, but to the whole of South Africa," Mulder said. "He mocks each one of the ANC leaders who sit in Parliament. Why does the ANC not act against him? Are you scared of him? Do you not have the courage to, in the interest of South Africa, call him to order?"
Helen Zille, leader of the Democratic Alliance and Premier of the Western Cape, spoke to the joint sitting about George Orwell's concept of "doublethink". "This involves holding two contradictory ideas in one's head at the same time and believing both of them," she said.
"Doublethink involves distorting history and reality -- and then denying the distortion so that you can believe your own propaganda."
'The irony was lost on Malema'
Zille said: "Take Julius Malema propagating the nationalisation of mines, even as he brokers lucrative private mining deals to enrich himself. Or his advice to the youth of South Africa. Only a year ago, Malema said: 'You must never role model a rich person who can't explain how they got rich. In the ANC we must not have corrupt people as role models. Corrupt means a simple thing -- you can't explain the big amount in your bank account. In less than a year, you have got everything.
"Yesterday you were down and out, but today you have everything which shows in your fancy dress code.
"The irony was lost on Malema, with his Breitling watch, his Armani jeans, his various multimillion-rand homes and top-of-the-range vehicles. This contradiction symbolises the ANC today. It is the outcome of the doublethink of the national democratic revolution. It inevitably leads to cronyism, corruption and the criminal state. It is a party professing to advance people's rights, even as it erodes them." - Sapa
Source: Mail & Guardian Online
Web Address: http://www.mg.co.za/article/2010-03-22-malema-white-boer-reporters-are-out-to-get-me
Zuma calls for an end to spying on reporters
DENISE WILLIAMS | PRETORIA, SOUTH AFRICA - Mar 20 2010 08:02
Reports of spying on journalists by government officials created a "totally unacceptable" scenario, President Jacob Zuma said on Friday night.
After receiving the newsmaker of the year award from the National Press Club, Zuma said he was concerned about recent events in which government officials had dug into the personal bank accounts of a City Press investigative reporter.
"What I've heard is actually shocking. We are now investigating journalists, for what?"
Zuma was referring to reports earlier this week in whihch a group of senior reporters lodged a complaint against Floyd Shivambu, the ANC Youth league's spokesperson, saying he was intimidating and threatening them after they refused to publish allegations of money laundering against City Press reporter Dumisane Lubisi.
Lubisi is one of the reporters who produced a series of articles which questioned league president Julius Malema's directorships in companies which received tenders for construction work in Limpopo.
The basis of the report was provided to him by former Limpopo premier Sello Moloto, following questions tabled in the legislature over poor construction work by disgruntled residents, and which are available to the public.
Malema, who hails from Limpopo, denied that he held directorships in the company's involved in contradiction of company records.
The league retorted that they would expose information they had that journalists received money for stories, and that they had sex with politicians to get information.
Media freedom?
On Friday night, Zuma said there was also a need for a debate about how far the exercise of media freedom should go.
"When does media freedom become tantamount to the harassment of an individual? Who must make that judgement? Where do we draw the line?"
He said these were some of the discussions which were lacking in the country and were necessary to understand each others' position.
"We are not seeking to interfere with editorial independence. It [the media] must be allowed to be independent to do its job," he said, adding it was understood that as business enterprises, the media needed to make profits.
"Editors would therefore be more inclined to run a story on a prominent person's lifestyle over one that celebrated national achievements or developmental goals."
Making light of the award, Zuma said he received it because there appeared to never be a dull moment.
"I seem to attract your attention, no matter how hard I try to stay away and out of the spotlight."
Earlier in a presentation, the National Press Club said according to a MonitoringSA report, Zuma had been mentioned in 22 300 print articles, 33 000 broadcasts and 12 500 online entries.
Zuma said he was aware that some of the mentions were good while others were bad.
"But I'm sure if they were put on a scale, the good ones would weigh very heavy," he said to laughter.
Other awards went to Graham Hosken of the Pretoria News for print newsmaker, Beeld photographer Theana Calitz, Kathy Mohlahlana from Eye Witness News and the South African Braodcasting Corporation's Leila Magnus for best radio feature.
The overall winner, Joy Summers from Carte Blanche, also received an award for the best in-depth television feature.
The award for best camera operator went to Meggan Raubenheimer from Etv. - Sapa
Source: Mail & Guardian Online
Web Address: http://www.mg.co.za/article/2010-03-20-zuma-calls-for-an-end-to-spying-on-reporters
Finding Malema's sensitive side
MANDY ROSSOUW | JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA - Mar 19 2010 10:12
President Jacob Zuma's new communications supremo, Zizi Kodwa, believes that the president's moves to moderate the confrontational style of ANC youth leader Julius Malema are already bearing fruit.
In an interview with the Mail & Guardian in Johannesburg this week, Kodwa said the change in Malema was immediately apparent in the way he dealt with attacks from Young Communist League secretary Buti Manamela last weekend.
"When Malema saw these attacks on television, he didn't call the SABC and demand a right of reply. He called the president of the ANC to say: there's a particular leader of the [South African Communist] party attacking me. That shows there's already a sensitivity from Malema's side."
Kodwa said Zuma had dealt effectively with Malema's confrontational approach at the ANC's national executive committee meeting last week, where he read the riot act on public mudslinging in the alliance.
"Leaders need a certain decorum. How you come across is as important. Last weekend [Zuma] drew a line to save the ANC; he said that line cannot be crossed."
Kodwa was appointed Zuma's special communications adviser this week, making him one of the most powerful officials in government. His appointment clearly flows from Zuma's serial public relations disasters this year, including revelations of his child born out of wedlock, his widely lambasted State of the Nation address and his failure to timeously declare his assets.
The president's new PR campaign, which encompasses a "meet the masses" programme including this week's visit to Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital, is also linked to his recent announcement that he is available to serve a second term.
Kodwa previously served as Zuma's spokesperson in the ANC, putting him in competition with Zuma's communications team in the presidency. He was clearly mindful of the reported tension between the head of Zuma's private office, Lakela Kaunda, and the chief operating officer in the presidency, Jessie Duarte, insisting that he is "not taking over anyone's job".
And he will not move out of Luthuli House, because Zuma had learned from Thabo Mbeki's mistake: "Don't isolate the party in favour of government; it will come back to haunt you."
Kodwa will straddle Luthuli House and the Union Buildings as Zuma's "eyes and ears", guiding his responses to national issues.
Counting political journalists among his friends and known for his lavish birthday parties, he is notably more media-friendly than such presidential officials as Duarte, who believe the media is "hostile" to the ANC and Zuma.
"Generally, the South African media have always been forthright and critical, like South African society, which is very active. The media have accepted Zuma is the president, and I think, in the main, are engaging him on substance and issues.
"We don't want a media that is embedded, that is like an imbongi [praise singer]. The media has alerted him to certain ways in which government does not work."
Kodwa, who cut his teeth as ANC Youth League spokesperson, is aware of the value Zuma places on loyalty, seeing that as key to his job.
"You have to share his vision if you communicate for him. But, most importantly, you have to be loyal to the president."
He is diplomatic when asked whether the communication about Zuma's love child could have been more effective. His spin doctors were roundly attacked, even by Cosatu.
"Whatever was communicated, not everyone would have been happy."
Kodwa has designed a "press the flesh" programme for Zuma over the next three months, visiting protesting communities.
Source: Mail & Guardian Online
Web Address: http://www.mg.co.za/article/2010-03-19-finding-malemas-sensitive-side
No comments:
Post a Comment