IFEX - News from the international freedom of expression community
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ACTION ALERT - SOUTH AFRICA

27 September 2002

FXI condemns physical attacks, harassment and death threats against AENS
journalists

SOURCE: Freedom of Expression Institute (FXI), Johannesburg

(FXI/IFEX) - In a press release, FXI strongly condemned the physical attacks,
harassment and death threats issued against journalists working for the African
Eye News Service (AENS) in Nelspruit, Mpumalanga Province. The FXI wrote to the
Mpumalanga Member of Executive Council (MEC) for Safety and Security, Thabang
Makwetla, calling for action against the perpetrators.

In the letter, the FXI denounced the attacks as acts of "criminal hooliganism"
and condemned the inaction and lethargy displayed by the police towards the
culprits. The FXI further stated that it considered the attacks to be not only
an assault against individuals exercising their constitutional right and duty to
inform the public, but also an incursion against press freedom and the right to
freedom of expression in South Africa.

Journalists Zenzele Kuhlase, Steven Zibonelo Ntuli and Jabulile Sherrone
Mhlabane have made sworn statements (provided to the FXI) to the police in
Nelspruit that they were physically assaulted, harassed and threatened with
death for reporting on certain court cases. The police have failed to arrest and
charge the suspects or intervene to protect the journalists' lives.

Particularly worrying for the FXI is the fact that in some instances, the
threats and intimidation occurred in the presence of uniformed police officers,
including the Nelspruit police station commissioner. Kuhlase, a court reporter
with the AENS, stated that two men physically assaulted him outside the
Nelspruit Magistrate's Court on 16 July 2002, in an attempt to prevent him from
taking photographs of a suspect in a child assault case. The two men also
attacked AENS photojournalist Ntuli, forcing him to flee from the scene to save
himself from further injuries. A police sergeant and a police inspector, who are
also suspects in the child assault case, stood by and watched.

Mhlabane, a general news reporter for the AENS, has received death threats for
naming and identifying a suspect in the break-in and theft of property from her
house. These threats were made in the presence of a number of police officers,
including the Nelspruit police station commissioner, Senior Superintendent
Joseph Ntsanwisi. The suspect has also been accused of murder in a different
case. No action has been taken against him.

The journalists now fear for their lives and Mhlabane has already gone into
hiding. She has also sought psychological counselling as a result of the trauma
that she has been exposed to.

RECOMMENDED ACTION:

Send appeals to authorities:
- calling for immediate investigations into the circumstances surrounding the
attacks and harassment of the journalists, and for the arrest and prosecution of
those responsible
- urging them to take all relevant steps to protect the lives and property of
the journalists, and to ensure that they are not hindered in any way from
attending to their normal duty of collecting and disseminating news and
information

APPEALS TO:

Mr Thabang Makwetla
Member of Executive Council
Safety and Security
Mpumalanga
Private Bag X 11269
Nelspruit
1200
South Africa
Fax: +013 766 4616
E-mail: [email protected] [2]

Director Eric Nkabinde
Mpumalanga Provincial Commissioner
SA Police Service
Private Bag X1801
Middelburg
1050
South Africa
Fax: +013 249 1026
E-mail: [email protected] [3]

Jakie Selebi
National Police Commissioner
SA Police Service
Private Bag X94
Pretoria
0001
South Africa
Fax: +012 339 2167
E-mail: [email protected] [4]

The Public Protector
Mpumalanga Regional Office
PO Box 3373
Nelspruit
South Africa
Fax: +013 752 7883

Mr H. I. Khuba
Acting P. Head
Independent Complaints Directorate
Mpumalanga
Regional Office
Nelspruit
South Africa
Fax: +013 752 2602

Copies to:

Justin Arenstein
Editor
African Eye News Service
Fax: +013 755 4119
E-mail: [email protected] [5]

Please copy appeals to the source if possible.

For further information, contact Simon Kimani Ndung'u, FXI's Anti-Censorship
Co-ordinator, FXI at P.O. Box 30668, Braamfontein, 2017, Johannesburg (Street
Address: 5th Floor Argon House, 87 Juta Street, Braamfontein, Johannesburg),
South Africa, tel: +27 11 403 8403/4, fax: +27 11 403 8309, e-mail:
[email protected] [6], [email protected] [7], Internet: http://fxi.org.za [8]

The information contained in this action alert is the sole responsibility of
FXI. In citing this material for broadcast or publication, please credit FXI.
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