SANEF warns journalists to be ethical or ‘face wrath of the law’

The South African National Editors’ Forum (SANEF) has warned journalists against finding themselves on the wrong side of the law.

SANEF’s warning against brown envelope journalism comes after serious allegations that suspended Independent Development Trust (IDT) Chief Executive (CEO) Tebogo Malaka sought to bribe Daily Maverick journalist, Pieter-Louis Myburgh. The incident is alleged to have taken place days after Malaka’s suspension, which followed a PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) investigation. The investigation has since revealed irregularities connected to IDT’s R836-million oxygen plants scandal.

The forum’s Hopewell Radebe says journalists should not compromise their ethics.

“If you they have to be found to have left their homes and went to do a story and accept the bribe they will be prosecuted and they will face the wrath of the law and there is no organisation that will protect them because we are all supposed to respect the law. So, they should always keep the integrity, always keep the journalism ethics and remember that they are expected to be more ethical in their duty more than anybody else. As journalists we must always remember that we are meant to help the state and society to save the money by fighting corruption and if we are the ones who are corrupt, we are also going to face the wrath of law.”