The South African National Editors’ Forum (Sanef) says it is outraged by the physical and verbal abuse of journalists by supporters of former President Jacob Zuma in Nkandla, over the weekend.  

Sanef states that the attacks are a direct breach of the South African Constitution, which protects media freedom and access to information and by extension the right for journalists to do their work.

Thousands of supporters and former African National Congress (ANC) leaders flocked to Nkandla to support Zuma, this after the Constitutional Court sentenced him to 15 months in prison for contempt of court for failing to appear at the Commission of Inquiry into Allegations of State Capture, in February.

Sanef notes that since Friday, journalists have come under severe attacks while waiting for law enforcement agencies to execute the Constitutional Court ruling.

Zuma was given until Sunday to hand himself to the police and begin serving his 15-month sentence. He is heading to the High Court on Tuesday to block his arrest and sentence.

South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) journalist Samkele Maseko was physically manhandled by a Zuma supporter, following Saturday’s anger-fuelled interruption of his live broadcast.

Sanef explained that apart from supporters swearing and hurling verbal taunts at journalists, Zuma's eldest son Edward Zuma also threatened to burn one of the media vehicles parked outside his father’s house.

“We remind all supporters and the Zuma family and other former ANC leaders who also pitched up to support the former President that journalists have a right to cover the events. They were not trespassing, nor did they breach any privacy or court regulations,” the organisation said.

SABC group executive of news and current affairs Phathiswa Magopeni said the broadcaster is extremely concerned about the ongoing bullying, intimidation and harassment of its journalists.

“Such conduct erodes media freedom, undermines the public’s right to know, and has no place in our democracy,” she said and urged the public to allow journalists a safe space to work without hindrance and to use designated complaints agencies to raise any concerns of unfair coverage.

Sanef has also called on Zuma, and senior leaders supporting him, to curtail and condemn such attacks and has warned journalists to be cautious of all Covid-19 regulations, bearing in mind the deadly new Delta strain.