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.

"Sanef calls on EFF to include a diversity of journalists at its elective conference. What we're worried about is that it seems that a number of journalists have been excluded. We note for instance that amaBhungane and Scorpio and Daily Maverick have been excluded and what we're worried about there is that those journalists have been particularly critical and we're saying we need to have all the voices there, including critical voices," she says.

"It curtails freedom of expression when you exclude certain media houses."

The publications are known to have carried investigations linking Malema, his deputy Floyd Shivambu and Shivambu’s brother Brian to the looting of the now-defunct VBS Mutual Bank.

Skinner says they will not tolerate media censorship.

"Of course freedom of association is very important, but the issue here is that when you look at that and you balance it with freedom of expression. You need to look at the fact that citizens have the right to get a full picture of what's happening at a particularly important conference such as the elective conference," she adds.

Sanef says that it will approach Parliament on the matter, should the EFF not resolve to add to its tally of journalists in attendance.

Speaking ahead of the conference, EFF general secretary Godrich Gardee said the decision to exclude certain journalists was informed by logistics.

"We are truly sad that we could not accommodate everyone the massive interest is of great inspiration nonetheless.

"Practically you will agree with us that it is impossible really to have in excess of 600 media personnel, close to 25% of delegates and even outnumbering the security of the NPA. It could not actually be acceded to."

Gardee proceeded to blast media houses and journalists "masquerading as politicians”.

"It's not the first time we have such useless media houses actually screaming. You will remember ANN7 which of course you know better about."

Close to 4000 delegates are expected to attend the conference which runs from Friday to Monday.