Daily Maverick a political instrument: Shivambu
Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) deputy president Floyd Shivambu claims some media houses pretend to be investigation publications but are actually playing politics.
Shivambu was responding to questions on the reasons why the journalists from amaBhungane, Daily Maverick and Scorpio were excluded from the party’s People’s Assembly.
The EFF’s second national elective conference kicked off in Nasrec, south of Johannesburg on Friday.
Shivambu says the online investigation publication Daily Maverick is a political instrument that is being used by a faction in the African National Congress (ANC) to fight political battles.
“Daily Maverick is a political instrument, a communication department of (Public Enterprises Minister) Pravin Gordhan’s cabal, and that is a fact.
“And they use the (South African Revenue Service) Rogue Unit, they use private intelligence to persecute political opponents,” says Shivambu.
He adds the investigation publications is not objectively probing corruption in the country, but rather targeting the EFF.
“It is a propaganda instrument of the cabal and is dependent on the Rogue Unit to spread their propaganda aimed at dealing with the integrity of the leadership of the EFF.”
Listen to Shivambu below:
The South African National Editors Forum (Sanef) has accused the party of clamping down on media freedom by denying certain media houses access to its elective conference.
Sanef has described the decision to ban some media houses from attending their events as an act of intimidation.
Sanef says that it will approach Parliament on the matter, should the EFF not resolve to add to its tally of journalists in attendance.
Sanef accuses EFF of 'censorship' ahead of elective conference
The EFF's second National People's Assembly gets underway at Nasrec on Friday. Earlier this year leader Julius Malema announced that journalists from amaBhungane, Daily Maverick and Scorpio would no longer be allowed report on future EFF events. Sanef's Kate Skinner has labelled the EFF's decision to ban some media houses from attending their events as an act of intimidation.