“Nothing wrong” with excluding white journos – Zuma

JOHANNESBURG (Sapa) - White journalists expressed their dismay after they were denied access to the "hottest news ticket in town" when barred from listening to ANC president Jacob Zuma at a forum exclusively for black journalists.

Zuma addressed the Forum of Black Journalists' (FBJ) re-launch at the Sandton Sun hotel in Johannesburg on Friday.

The ANC president himself saw nothing wrong with white journalists being denied entry to the event, in which he delivered an off the record address.

"I saw nothing wrong," said ANC president Jacob Zuma when asked whether he approved of the exclusion of white journalists.

"...All of us as South Africans in the 13 years of democracy come from different backgrounds... there are experiences that people would have that they may want to share," he said.

The ANC president's arrival at the forum after midday spurned white journalists, waiting in the wings outside, into action. He was questioned about why he would address a gathering which excluded journalists on the basis of race.

He declined to comment immediately but after delivering his address to the forum, he agreed to a five minute press briefing with all the media - including the white journalists - to explain himself.

Zuma said he had been invited to speak in many different forums and was currently considering an invitation from the Black Management Forum.

Asked whether he thought it was constitutionally correct to bar white journalists, Zuma said this was a question for the forum.

Earlier, reporter Ben Said from etv was denied entry to the room.

Radio 702's Stephen Grootes was asked to leave after having gained entry.

Grootes told Sapa he was all for an organisation comprising of only black journalists.

"The forum should exist, I understand the need for it... for me the issue was Zuma," he said.

When asked why he entered the venue knowing it was for blacks only, he said: "I didn't think they would go through with it... it was wrong for them to deny us access to the hottest news ticket in town because of race."

Abbey Makoe, FBJ steering committee chairman described his white colleagues' behaviour as "shocking".

He accused the white journalists of "stage managing" and causing a "total commotion" prior to Zuma's arrival at the venue. Makoe said the journalists in question were aware they were not allowed inside but gained entry anyway, only to be shown the door before proceedings began.

The Forum allows African, Indian and coloured journalists to come together to "engage in healthy debate" regarding issues of common interest, steering committee chairman Abbey Makoe had explained.

Talk Radio 702's group head of news and talk, Yusuf Abramjee, and another black journalist were vocal about their views on their white colleagues being barred from the event. They subsequently walked out, in solidarity with their white colleagues.

A black journalist attending the event defended the forum, saying it was a platform to redress the damages wrought on the media by the apartheid system.

Radio 702 laid a formal complaint with the SA Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) of racial prejudice.

The SA National Editors Forum (Sanef) strongly condemned the exclusion of white reporters, saying this "has no place in South Africa today".

"Our democracy came after a hard fought struggle at several levels including the media and every effort should be made to protect it," Sanef said in a statement.

The SAHRC confirmed receipt of the complaint and said it would be dealt with through its normal complaints process.

Spokesman Vincent Moaga said: "We can't comment further, we have to give the (FBJ) a chance ... we don't have all the facts."

Services Subscribe to newsletters News feeds Share this article Facebook Google Laaik.it Yahoo! Digg del.icio.us

Comments

If you come across comments that are injurious, defamatory, profane, off-topic or inappropriate; contain personal attacks or racist, sexist, homophobic, or other slurs, please report them and they will be removed.

 

responses to this article

White journalists segregated out Note by Ever-fasternews: Suppose this. The Forum for White Journalists, representing journalists such as Ruth First, Brian Bunting, Laurence Gandar and Donald Woods, organises a conference to which certain political parties only are admitted, and others . .more not, and which excludes black journalists. The ANC naturally regards this as perfectly legitimate and not racist. (Ruth First and Brian Bunting were editors of the banned Communist Party newspaper, New Age. First was assassinated by the apartheid regime with a parcel bomb in 1982, while in exile in Mozambique. Bunting was correspondent for the Soviet news agency, Tass, in exile in London. Gandar was constantly harried by the apartheid state while editor of the Rand Daily Mail. Woods, the editor of the Daily Dispatch in East London, fled South Africa after the arrest and murder of his friend, Steve Biko, and wrote the book about Biko from which the film Cry Freedom was made). Naturally the ANC is not guilty of humbug. Would it also not be more consistent for the Forum for Black Journalists to consider repudiation of the Roman alphabet as the vehicle for its thoughts, and the invention of a more racially pure form? . .less by Ever-fasternews.com on February 23 2008, 21:58 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

Plenty wrong with misrepresenting people The headline at the top of this piece is not supported in the text. Jacob Zuma said he saw nothing wrong with meeting the FBJ and indeed there was nothing wrong in it at all. As President-in-waiting JZ must meet interest groups of all kinds and he has . .more been doing so very conspicuously since long before Polokwane. The headline suggests that he was referring to something else, namely the decision of the FBJ to exclude white journalists (but not black journalists who were not FBJ members) from covering the meeting. JZ did not pronounce on that question. Nor does he have to. In the circumstances it is clearly a matter for the journalists to sort out among themselves. The headline on this article tries to lay the matter at JZ's door. The headline is a very good example of very bad journalism. . .less by Domza on February 24 2008, 10:58 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

He will be responsible to look after the freedom and equality of everybody as president. And by not standing up for equality, he supported racism. Domza, you were clearly not an apartheid victim. by But he is turning a blind eye to their racism. As a president hopeful that is morally corrupt. on February 24 2008, 11:11 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

Read Fiona Forde Fiona Forde was one of the three white journos who were excluded. The others were Ben Said and somebody by the name of Grootes. Forde, as one of the actual victims, has written a good article about this affair. It's on page 9 of the Sunday Independent, . .more headlined "White journalists left out in the cold". It is all the stronger for being without any of the hysteria that one has seen all over the Internet about this affair. Forde does not utter one word of blame against Jacob Zuma. You weaken your case when you stretch it too far. It is not JZ's fault if his hosts make a gemors of the press arrangements. While you are about it, you might take a look at Karen Bliksem on page 12 of the same edition of the Sindy. Then, taking the two together, you might like to ponder in more detail on the role of the man who, as it appears, single-handedly convened this meeting of an organisation that had been defunct for a decade - Abby Makoe. But please don't try to blame it all on JZ. You are going to end up looking stupid if you do that. . .less by Domza on February 24 2008, 11:41 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

Soft Domza, we have no interested in Abby Makoe's organization skills or racism. He is not standing for president. I'm not sure I understand your statement that we are "strething it to far". When did JZ say that he will be leading all South African citizens, . .more not discriminate against anybody and be transparent. JZ, like Mbeki, is not a leader. . .less by Not Domza on February 25 2008, 12:17 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

Note on the headline The headline is derived from the following paragraph in the text: "The ANC president himself saw nothing wrong with white journalists being denied entry to the event, in which he delivered an off the record address. 'I saw nothing wrong,' said ANC . .more president Jacob Zuma when asked whether he approved of the exclusion of white journalists." . .less by Editor on February 24 2008, 23:57 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

that is the AFRICAN FOR YOU , THE AFRICAN WAY . by kevin on February 25 2008, 03:16 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

kevin, crawl back into your little racist hovel please. Have you nothing to contribute beyond some ... by hugh on February 25 2008, 08:23 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

TO HUGH shame , the truth hurts so bad , maybe when your wife has been raped by 5 blacks , or your kids cant get jobs because they are white . or you cant get a job as you are middle age and white . it could be you are in the same gravy train as the ANC that you . .more to blind to see what is happening to this country , or are you bloody stupid , i hope you dont get killed or hijacked on the way home , and all your goods , tv etc are still in your home when you get there . YOU STUPID JERK . . .less by kevin on March 26 2008, 21:40 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

Pot. Kettle. Black. This has to be the best so far this year. Please publish the name of the following journo: "A black journalist attending the event defended the forum, saying it was a platform to redress the damages wrought on the media by the apartheid . .more system." ROFLMAO They. are. quite. simply. a. bunch. of. f#ing. RACISTS. . .less by Darwin on February 25 2008, 09:40 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

Why now? Good grief, why after 14yrs of an ANC run South African government do we need a 'Blacks Only', sanctioned forum to represent black jouno's? I mean aren't the whites the minority in this country, hasn't the government spent 14yrs pouring state money into . .more black upliftment? I think this is a typical ploy, used by the previously dissadvantaged to keep a 'spotlight of self-pity' on the past, which is exactly where they are living! So to my South African Black Brothers, we are waiting with arms wide open for you to join us in a country not defined by colour, uh - when you're ready ofcourse... . .less by Dayne on February 25 2008, 10:17 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

quite right And could you imagine the outcry if there was a 'whites only' forum! This is the kind fo stuff you would expect from Mugabe - so much for our new democracy. by boggy on February 25 2008, 10:39 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

Whites are going to get it!!! Plan THE NEW GREAT TREK.... All these whites still living/hoping for SA to come right, what a bunch of bloody idiots! When will these so called 'rainbow' nation fools see the storm..? Can these people be that blind, and stupid! Really, there is no other term. Blacks, (not invading . .more whites) do not want, need,hope or feel that they need to share this land anymore! Whites: begin planning for the NEW GREAT TREK. It is coming...... . .less by Lionel on February 25 2008, 21:02 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

The Way out of South Africa When It's your choice For Business People, Look at VIP Business Immigration , if you want to Immigrate to Canada. by Business Immigration on April 05 2010, 14:05 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

Name
Subject
Comment