Sanef seeks evidence on Stratcom allegations
The South African National Editors Forum (Sanef) has called for evidence to be presented amid allegations that 40 journalists worked with the apartheid government.
The group reportedly worked on discrediting anti-apartheid activists, including the late Winnie Madikizela-Madela.
In an interview with Huffington Post in 2017 Madikizela Mandela mentioned the likes of SABC's Thandeka Gqubule and former ENCA editor Anton Harber as some of the journalists who were part of the Stratcom operation to discredit her name.
Gqubule and Harber were reporters at the Weekly Mail at the time.
ALSO READ: Concerns over victimisation, 'culture of silence' at Parktown Boys High
The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) has since called on the 40 journalists to apologise and ask for forgiveness, or risk being exposed.
"Sanef fully acknowledges the brutality of the apartheid regime and its misinformation campaigns. Given this context of lies and propaganda, we believe it is critical that concrete evidence is bought forward to substantiate claims that specific journalists supported the apartheid security establishment," says chairperson Mahlatse Mahlase.
We exposed Stratcom. Inkathagate. Third Force. So it is clear what side we were on https://t.co/Ip9bAPDFY6
— Anton Harber (@AntonHarber) April 12, 2018
She says unsubstantiated rumours could put the lives of journalists at risk and cause damage to media freedom.
Harber has dismissed the allegations on Twitter, saying the Weekly Mail actually exposed the Stratcom operation.