The same party that fought for and won freedom of speech in South Africa is now being accused of spearheading a campaign to bully the media. So is the African National Congress, or ANC, really trying to push the country back into days went apartheid era laws totally muzzled the press?
CNN editorial producer, and South African native, I just learned, Nadia Bilchik joining me on this one. Well, I want to ask you about growing up during the apartheid era momentarily, but first, this whole issue, this could potentially undermine democracy in all of South Africa. Absolutely. It's very frightening. If you think of this whole glorious time of the World Cup that we've just had, one week after the World Cup ends, the ANC government announces two things. They said we are going to have a media tribunal. This is suggested, proposed laws. And a Protection of Information Act. Now, this has already become a bill. Isn't that frightening? I mean it is post World Cup and journalists-Celebrations. Exactly. The global spotlight is now off. And the ANC says we want to curb the media. Now, yesterday I spoke to Ray Hartley who is the editor for of South Africa's Sunday Times. And I want have you listened to him to hear what he says these imposed law, or restrictions, will actually do. What it would mean is that any information at the discretion of a senior government official can be declared classified. And that would mean you can't report on it, or be in position of it. You can't write academic articles on it at university, you can't publish anything about it. And it would carry quite a heavy jail term. Jail? A jail term. Isn't that extraordinary? Let me tell you. One of the journalists from the Sunday Times, Mazuli Ka Africa writes about corruption in Pumalonga, an area of South Africa, and the next day a whole lot of police cars arrive, eight policemen get out of the car, arrest him, detain him for eight hours without a lawyer. He's interrogated at 2:30 a.m. in the morning. And Ray Hartley says this is the worst treatment of a journalist since apartheid officially ended and the ANC government came into power in 1994. And once again, a great irony because, remember, I grew up during apartheid South Africa when you couldn't say the word ANC, it was banned. I grew up and we only got television in 1975 because there were such repressive media laws. So isn't it ironic that the very government that fought apartheid is now wanting to impose these laws? Forgive me for the obvious question. But why? Why? Why? Well, this is what Jacob Zuma says. So let's take a look at what Jacob Zuma, president of the ANC, who has himself been scrutinized by the South African press. I mean, you have to understand, the man has three wives. He's currently in China with his girlfriend. There has been corruption leveled against him, according to the South African press. But he says the media houses need to be regulated as they tend to go overboard at times. He also says they need to be governed themselves because at times they go overboard on the rights. And he believes that he is doing the right thing. But can you see the great irony here? What would happen if you cannot expose corruption? That is the role of the media, the watchdog. Exactly. He says, if we cannot expose corruption, corruption will grow. So it is going to be very interesting for us to look at what happens. Now you have to understand South Africa has one of the freest constitutions in the world. This will have to pass through great levels of court, and jurisdictions, so we are hoping it won't happen. But if it does -- Let us know if it does. Absolutely. Stay on that. It's going to be fascinating. Let us know if it does. Also, later on this morning we're talking traffic jams in China. We'll be talking tomorrow, we will be going to traffic in China. Traffic jams in China. I'm fascinated by this story. I cannot imagine being in traffic for days. Nadia. Good to see you. You, too. Thank you. |