Durban - Civil society organisations and political parties have raised the alarm over attempts by the State Security Agency (SSA) to silence Independent Media and undermine media freedom through its court action, which will be heard in a closed session at the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria on Tuesday.
The outcry against the SSA came after the agency dragged Independent Media, the Daily News and its journalist, Thabo Makwakwa, to court for publishing a story around a leaked intelligence report whose contents cannot be made public as there is an ex parte interdict in place.
Freedom Under Law (FUL) hit out at the SSA and criticised State Security authorities for approaching the court to impair media freedom.
“Freedom Under Law believes that the rule of law and media freedom are two main pillars of democracy.
“For a State Security body to go to court does seem like overkill,” said the chairperson of FUL, Justice Johann Kriegler.
The INJEJE yabeNGUNI Council issued a strong statement, calling for the SSA ministry to stop using the courts and exercising intimidation tactics in a bid to silence media freedom.
The organisation condemned Minister in the Presidency Mondli Gungubele, who has been given political responsibility for the State Security Agency, for using apartheid-era tactics to intimidate Makwakwa, the Daily News and Independent Media.
“His diabolical bid to have highly acclaimed Independent Media Group journalist Thabo Makwakwa imprisoned for exposing agents … within the ANC which is the ruling party of the country, is tantamount to Gungubele protecting individuals who are committing acts of treason against the people of South Africa.
“The audacity of Gungubele demonstrates how pathetically infiltrated and compromised our State Security truly is, of which Gungubele by his deluded actions has exposed himself to be a hardening agent of foreign intelligence agencies that have taken over the ANC and South African presidencies respectively.
“His indifference to the reality of spies within the country’s ruling party and the continent’s oldest liberation movement elucidates the reality of him long being a spy that contributed to countless leaders of Self Defence Units … who vanished to never be heard from again thanks to Gungubele,” read the INJEJE statement.
When approached for comment, the Presidency said it would not comment because the matter was subject to a court process.
President of the African People’s Convention (APC) Themba Godi issued a statement condemning the agency’s attempt to criminalise journalistic work aimed at exposing treacherous activities.
“This is an attempt to intimidate and silence independent and professional journalists.
“The APC calls on the government to step back from this dangerous trajectory that takes us back to the settler-colonial era of censorship by intimidation. We call on the people of our country to stand in solidarity with Mr Makwakwa and demand an end to this madness.”
He added: “The enemies of the people are those who keep them in ignorance.”
IFP spokesperson Mkhuleko Hlengwa said: “In principle, the IFP supports the freedom of the press and media freedom, as well as the public’s right to have access to information which directly affects them.
“However, the world over, State Security is a sensitive portfolio which at times requires information to remain confidential.
“These interests must be weighed up carefully before classified information is made public.”
Approached for comment, the chairman of the Independent Group, Dr Iqbal Survé, stated that the case was about media freedom and that it was important for press freedom to be guaranteed.
“SSA is trying to stop the publication of the report. Since the SSA is now in the Presidency, Ramaphosa must intervene to stop them. As Independent’s chairman, I support our journalists and editors,” he said.
Daily News