The South African National Editors Forum (SANEF) expressed its disappointment at losing its case against the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) in the Equality Court, a ruling welcomed by the party.
SANEF said it was ‘disappointed’ the ruling was not in its favour, maintaining it was ‘fully justified’ in having approached the courts ‘after numerous instances of threats and intimidation were issued by the EFF against journalists’.
The Equality Court denied the application to interdict the EFF from ‘intimidating, harassing and assaulting journalists’.
The five journalists are News24 editor Adriaan Basson, Daily Maverick journalist Pauli van Wyk, Tiso Blackstar associate editor Ranjeni Munusamy, Eyewitness News senior journalist Barry Bateman and Vrye Weekblad editor Max du Preez.
SANEF said it would ‘study the contents of the judgment before deciding on the way forward’.
It said the recourse to the courts was ‘a last resort after efforts to meet the EFF failed’, adding that it would ‘continue its attempts to engage with the EFF and all other political parties on “mutually acceptable rules of engagement”.’
The EFF said the application had ‘sought to portray the EFF as violating media freedom and the rights of journalists to dignity and freedom of speech’, but the court had dismissed the claim.
The party said in a statement: ‘We must therefore reiterate that journalists who take a side, using journalism as a platform to pursue the propaganda interests of politicians, must never be regarded as journalists.
‘When they descend to the arena, they must be treated as having taken sides and no longer acting in the professional interests of journalism. From all accounts, it is clear that these journalists, together with SANEF, have made the EFF their personal project, seeking to discredit it, whilst promoting [President Cyril] Ramaphosa and [Minister of Public Enterprises Pravin] Gordhan.’
The EFF said: ‘The judgment is therefore an important opportunity for journalists in this country to critically re-introspect their conduct and profession (sic). In particular how it has been abused and discredited by many amongst them who are decidedly bias (sic), politically compromised and ethically questionable.’
The case arose from events in November 2018, when, according to a News24 report, ‘Malema identified specific journalists he accused of protecting Gordhan, who was testifying at the state capture inquiry at the time’.