Equality Court rules against Sanef
The Equality Court has ruled against the South African National Editors Forum (Sanef) and five journalists in an application to interdict the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) from intimidating, harassing and assaulting journalists.
Sanef approached the court on behalf of five journalists after they were verbally attacked by people purporting to be EFF supporters.
At a protest outside the commission of inquiry into state capture last year, EFF leader Julius Malema called on supporters to deal decisively with certain reporters who he accused of defending "white monopoly capital".
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The journalists said they were subjected to intimidation, harassment and death threats, and that Malema did not condemn the comments.
EFF deputy president Floyd Shivambu tweeted the court papers with the caption: "We have defeated STRATCOM in their attempts to delegitimise the economic emancipation movement".
The Equality Court ruled against @SAEditorsForum in the frivolous and foolish case they brought against the EFF. We have defeated STRATCOM in their attempts to deligitimise the economic emancipation movement. The defeated included Ranjeni, Basson, Van Wyk, Du Preez & Bateman! pic.twitter.com/oqWmOIvw5l
— Floyd Shivambu (@FloydShivambu) October 24, 2019
Eyewitness News senior journalist Barry Bateman, Tiso Blackstar associate editor Ranjeni Munusamy, News24 editor Adriaan Basson, Daily Maverick journalist Pauli van Wyk and Vrye Weekblad editor Max du Preez are the five journalists who were involved.
Sanef executive director Kate Skinner says they are still going through the court papers and are yet to decide on what legal recourse to take next.
She says they are also still trying to meet with the EFF.
"We have other options which are not legal options which we have already pursued, which is meeting political parties and looking at a memorandum of understanding between ourselves and the political parties.
"We have an initial engagement and in fact, the EFF did not participate in that but we are reaching out to the EFF and are open."
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