The South African National Editors Forum (Sanef) has asked for an urgent meeting with government spokesperson Jimmy Manyi's boss, Minister in the Presidency Collins Chabane, to discuss the deterioration of relations between government communications and themselves.

Deputy chairperson of Sanef, Mary Papayya said on Tuesday: "The letter has been delivered," after an urgent Sanef meeting which followed a 702 Talk Radio interview in which Manyi said Sanef had shown "cartel-like tendencies".

He said he could not understand why the media was so hostile to government, and denied ever saying that the government's centralised media buying strategy meant that anti-government publications would not receive government advertising spend.

The threats about advertising was a "fiction", Manyi said.

Papayya said: "The decision from our editors was very simple and that is that clearly we are worried about the seeming deterioration of relations between [Government Communication and Information Services] (GCIS) and ourselves."

They made it clear in their letter to Chabane that they had enjoyed cordial and civil relations with government communications in the past, but felt that these were now at a low ebb.

They asked for an urgent meeting with Sanef leadership regarding GCIS but also remained committed to a declaration that they would meet Cabinet later this year.

"We won't comment about personal attacks...," she said of Manyi's comments on Sunday Times editor Mondli Makhanya, who had said the media must stand together if the government threatened to play them off against each other over advertising revenue.

The National Press Club called for government intervention "at the highest level" after what it said were more frequent attacks on the media by Manyi, NPC general manager Ben Rootman said.

"Manyi's frequent attacks on the media are getting out of hand and not conducive to efforts towards finding common ground and nurturing better relations between government and the media fraternity. Government needs to intervene at the highest level to remedy the situation," said Rootman.

"Jimmy Manyi's comments are most worrying. His suggestion that the media is conspiring to criticise government is not only disingenuous, but ridiculous. The media fraternity is extremely concerned about Manyi's hostility."

Manyi was asked if there was conspiracy among editors against government and whether he was suggesting that editors call each other and say "let's nail government on this one".

He replied: "I heard the comments from Mondli Makhanya on the Maggs on Media where they are saying they must work together – that worried me – he is the chairman of Sanef... ."

Makhanya is also editor-in-chief of Avusa media newspapers.

"I was shocked to hear those kind of almost cartel-like tendencies. I thought that was shocking comments from a very senior person in that space."

He continued: "If he says let's work together he must be saying something that is shared amongst his peers. This is the issue."

That edition of Maggs on Media was billed as a discussion on Manyi's "rules for media outlets to receive slices of government's advertising cake".

Manyi repeatedly told 702 Talk Radio host John Robbie that the threats to be more favourable towards certain media were a "fiction".

"I said we are going to put it where we get bulk discounts, and it's going to be bulk discounts at maximum coverage, that's what we are doing."

He continued: "You see one of the challenges we have with media is this kind of approach that you are taking... you have got this media tendencies of creating your own fiction..."

He continued: "Once you have created this fiction you passionately believe in this fiction and everybody must react to it."

"The government had never created the linkage that you are creating. Don't create you own fiction and then everybody must chase after this fiction."

*According to a transcript of a media briefing on Cabinet decisions held on June 9, Manyi said everybody would continue to get their "fair share of the cake, but they would use a "scientific approach" to get more "bang for their buck", and to reach different categories of audiences.

"What does bang for your buck mean? It is a very simple thing as government we have a lot of information to communicate as government. We do not want to be done any favours by anyone but what we report as government we would like to see that covered because we think media has a role not only as a watchdog but also a role to provide information."

They were frustrated by the information flow of government work and wanted people to know about government service delivery.

The criteria was not to write "good about government", the criteria was "if anything else" is to report on government work.

"The only thing that is happening is just criticism, so we are saying just create a balance. Criticise, yes carry on criticising you will help us, we want it. But as you do please also communicate that which government is trying to communicate otherwise it means we will have to resort to our own means as it were.

"So this partnership that we must have must be a partnership that is mutually rewarding, it must be mutually beneficial. We have content, please pass on the content and by all means criticise it as much as you can but first pass it on, that is the issue."