Issued by: Truth and Reconciliation Commission
9 JANUARY 1997
In November 1996 the Truth and Reconciliation Commission decided to hold a special public hearing in 1997 concerning the role of the media during the apartheid era. At this hearing, all the relevant organisations including the electronic and print media from every constituency, will be given an opportunity to present their point of view.
The Freedom of Expression Institute (FXI) approached the Commission with an offer to prepare an initial research paper covering this important subject. The Commission accepted this offer, and will receive this submission, as one of many submissions which will be made.
In recent press reports Mr Thami Mazwai, speaking on behalf of the Black Editors Forum (BEF), has criticised this agreement between the Commission and the FXI. As a result this whole matter will be reviewed at the next session of the TRC's Human Rights Violations Committee, which meets on 23 January in Johannesburg.
In the meantime, it should be stressed that the TRC is an independent body and all its public hearings are open to all interested parties. No one will be advantaged or disadvantaged in the arrangements made for the public hearing.
For further inquiries please call Christelle Terreblanche - 0824588461