South African media and press bias

http://damonleff.livejournal.com/

Religious minority voices in South Africa are excluded from participating in public debate on issues which directly affect them because the media and press have deduced that we do not have a right to be heard.

The S.A. press and media have, despite so-called self-regulation, made and continue to make inappropriate, distorted, exaggerated and misrepresented references to Witchcraft; references which reinforce dated assumptions and insensitive stereotyping. Journalists hide behind editors who hide behind self-regulating press ombudsman's, who believe that when discussing Witchcraft, fairness and due process should be sacrificed on prejudicial principle.

The practice of publishing distorted, prejudicial and pejorative propaganda against Witchcraft not only contravenes the Press Code, with respect to avoiding discriminatory or denigratory references to people's religion, but also contravenes the Bill of Rights with respect to the right of religious communities to practice their religion, and the Promotion of Equality and Prevention of Unfair Discrimination Act with respect to publishing, propagating or advocating prejudice that could reasonably be construed as demonstrating a clear intention to be hurtful and to promote or propagate mistrust of Witches and Satanists.

Section 16 (2.3) of the South African Bill of Rights determines that whilst everyone has the right to freedom of expression, including freedom of the press and media, the right to freedom of expression does not extend to a right to advocate hatred based on religion. [1] Whilst one could argue that publishing factually incorrect and misleading articles on Witchcraft does not amount to advocating hatred against an existing religious minority, the refusal to permit correction or fair comment amounts to nothing more than intentional sanction against the right of South African Witches to freedom of expression.

Biased reporting on Witchcraft inspires prejudice against Witches themselves because such reporting reinforces, whether deliberately or unintentionally, generally espoused misconceptions and untruths regarding Witchcraft. When the group identity is defamed, individuals who share in that identity, i.e. Witches, suffer a loss of dignity.

When publishing defamatory content on or against Witchcraft, both journalists and editors alike justify their disregard for the reputation and dignity of Witches, by appealing to freedom of the press and public interest. In South Africa freedom of expression is regarded as an entitlement only to certain approved sectors of society.

Politicians are permitted to make accusations of Witchcraft against their political opponents with impunity. [2] Members of Provincial Parliament are permitted to express derogatory opinions regarding the right of Witches to challenge legislation that contradicts the Bill of Rights of the South African constitution. [3]

An ex-police official, who has built a questionable reputation for having special expertise on the occult, is permitted to express his biased and wholly speculative opinions on what constitutes evidence of interest and involvement in the occult. [4] But Occultists themselves, including Witches, Wiccans and Satanists, are denied the right to either correct inaccurate statements or to challenge self-ascribed credentials as "occult expert".

Since January 2009 the general population who consumes this unedited and factually variant smorgasbord of prejudicial content against Witchcraft have learnt the following:

1. "Witches use black chickens and dogs and colourful candles to kill their targets." Schoeman Xulu - Traditional Healer

In this article a traditional healer named Schoeman Xulu is reported to have alleged that the abhorrent abuse and injury of a border collie puppy was the work of Witches. Xulu’s allegation is based on his alleged personal admission that the modus operandi was an attempt to "trap someone to death". "The perpetrators were trapping someone to death. Witches use black chickens and dogs and colourful candles to kill their targets. I feel sorry for whoever the practice was directed at," said Xulu. [5]

2. Trusted community members become monsters [Witches] at night. Maniki Motloutsi - Inyanga

In this article inyanga Maniki Motloutsi is reported as saying, "I have caught many witches here in my yard and you will be surprised who does these thing as these are usually trusted community members who become monsters at night... Evil exists, what that witch is doing to the child is evil and must be stopped as soon as possible, she is not an inyanga but a killer". Motloutsi makes allegations against an unnamed traditional healer, who does not self-identify as a Witch, with whom he is in competition. [6]

3. Witchcraft can cause women to give birth to crockery. Aulerio Demoraz - Traditional Healer (Mozambican Association of Traditional Healers)

In this article (published by both IOL and Dispatch Online) it is alleged that an unnamed 18 year old Mozambican woman gave birth to three cups. The president of the Mozambican Association of Traditional Healers (Ametramo) Aulerio Demoraz is reported to have stated that "similar cases had occurred in other parts of the world due to witchcraft." [7]

4. Witches are responsible for drugging cats in the western Cape. Marlene Neethling (Die Burger reporter)

Reporter Marlene Neethling falsely attributes a statement implicating Witchcraft involvement in the drugging of a cat to Mr. Andries Venter - Chief Inspector of the SPCA. In a letter to the editor of Die Burger, Mr. Venter denies having personally stated that Witchcraft was being considered as a possible cause of a cat’s intoxication on opiates. This statement was never published and Die Burger never published a correction. [8]

5. The right to challenge institutional prejudice against a religious minority is arrogant. Adrian Williams (Mpumalanga MP)

Mpumalanga ANC MP Adrian Williams accused the South African Pagan Rights Alliance of being arrogant in pursuing the reclamation of the terms Witch and Witchcraft by challenging the 1957 Witchcraft Suppression Act. [9]

6. "[Witches and Satanists] seek power or strength to manipulate people". Kobus Jonker (self-proclaimed Occult expert).

Judge Flip Hattingh postponed the trial against Morne Harmse, a school boy who murdered a fellow school pupil with a sword, to allow time for expert witnesses to interview the accused. The state had lodged a draft order seeking to secure the evidence of "occult expert" Dr (sic) Kobus Jonker. Jonker is quoted as saying "They seek a power. They want to say 'I have a power or strength to manipulate people'." [10]

All attempts to challenge these false and (falsely accredited) statements and allegations made about Witchcraft have been dismissed by the editors of The Witness, News 24.com, IOL, Dispatch Online, Die Burger, iafrica.com, eyewitnessnews, SABC News and E-TV News on the grounds of freedom of expression.

The Press Appeals Panel Chairperson Judge Ralph Zulman and the South African Press Ombudsman Mr. J. Thloloe have found no just cause for complaint or appeal against reported bias against Witchcraft, despite the fact that each of the articles clearly contravenes the South African Press Code. [11]

Thloloe and Zulman have rather determined that religious minorities in South Africa do not have the right to news coverage of their religion that is truthful, accurate or fair, and that Witches who seek to correct published misinformation are merely proselytising their religion. [12]

Reporters and editors have become a law unto themselves, determining who shall and who may not be heard, solely on the basis of their own personal prejudices (call it 'space' if you will).

Clearly, everyone does not have the right to freedom of expression in this country.

References:

[1] Bill of Rights Section 16
Section 16 (entitled Freedom of Expression) of the South African Bill of Rights states,
1. Everyone has the right to freedom of expression, which includes ­
1. freedom of the press and other media;
2. freedom to receive or impart information or ideas;
3. freedom of artistic creativity; and
4. academic freedom and freedom of scientific research.

2. The right in subsection (1) does not extend to ­
1. propaganda for war;
2. incitement of imminent violence; or
3. advocacy of hatred that is based on race, ethnicity, gender or religion, and that constitutes incitement to cause harm.

[2] Sexwale and Zuma and other - accusations of witchcraft against political opponents

[3] Adrian Williams on the South African Pagan Rights Alliance.
'Mixing politics and witchcraft' by Buyekezwa Makwabe. Published in The Times and the Sunday Times on 08 August 2009.
http://www.thetimes.co.za/News/Article.aspx?id=1047120

[4] Kobus Jonker on Morne Harmse

[5] 'Witchcraft: Dog spell to trap victim' by Witness Reporter. Published 31 July 2008 by The Witness.
http://www.witness.co.za/?showcontent&global%5B_id%5D=11161

[6] 'Inyanga to rescue possessed child' by Lerato Serero. Published 07 August 2008 by News24.com.
http://www.news24.com/Regional_Papers/Components/Category_Article_Text_T...

[7] 'Woman gives birth to cups' Published 14 August 2008 by IOL.
http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?click_id=29&art_id=nw20080814073609904C40...
(and) 'Mozambican teen gives birth to three cups' - ' Woman gives birth to cups’ republished 15 August 2008 by Dispatch Online. http://www.dispatch.co.za/article.aspx?id=237256

[8] 'Kat dalk in heksedaad bedwelm' by Marlene Neethling. Published 25 March 2009 by Die Burger.

[9] 'Mixing politics and witchcraft' by Buyekezwa Makwabe. Published 08 August 2009 by The Times and the Sunday Times.
http://www.thetimes.co.za/News/Article.aspx?id=1047120

[10] 'Harmse was seeking 'a power to manipulate' Published 01 September 2009 by IOL.
http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=13&art_id=nw20090901113...

[11] The South African Press Code
2. Discrimination and Hate Speech
2.1 The press should avoid discriminatory or denigratory references to people's religion.
2.2 The press should not refer to a person's religion in a prejudicial or pejorative context except where it is strictly relevant to the matter reported or adds significantly to readers' understanding of that matter.

[12] Mr Damon Leff, Director of the South African Pagan Rights Alliance, v.s. Various Publications. 15 May 2009.
http://www.presscouncil.org.za/pages/posts/mr-damon-leff-director-of-the...
(and)
Press Appeal Panel discriminates against Witchcraft. 20 July 2009.
http://www.paganrightsalliance.org/press.html