Cosatu supported the ANC's proposal to set up a Media Appeals Tribunal (MAT) to regulate the media, City Press newspaper reported today. The newspaper reported that the labour federation wanted a different approach to the tribunal to what the ANC suggested, though. It said there was a "censorship" risk attached to the tribunal as well as the proposed protection of information bill. It warned that the tribunal could become a "censorship" tool as editors could decide to hold back stories about ministers for fear of being "hauled before a MAT that is biased towards government's view".
In a paper for discussion at the federation's central executive meeting which starts tomorrow Cosatu apparently envisaged that the tribunal should include representatives of the print media, the state, and organised civil society, the newspaper said. The discussion paper apparently suggested that state representatives should recuse themselves when the tribunal deals with matters involving government officials or institutions.
At the Ruth First Memorial Lecture on Aug 17, Zwelinzima Vavi, secretary general of Cosatu, criticised the protection of information bill. "If Ruth First were alive, she would ask where all the democrats had gone to after reading about the proposed protection of information bill, which would make a mockery of her work as a journalist".
Source: Business Day
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