Sunday Times maliciously attacking Cde Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma

31 October 2017

The African National Congress  Youth League (ANCYL) is disappointed, but not surprised by the story published Sunday Times of the 29 October 2019 attributed to Jacques Pauw.

The continous mud-slinging campaign by the Sunday Times against Cde Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma  is a clear indication that some media houses are nothing else but well oiled machine to tarnish the reputation of  leaders of the African National Congress (ANC), who are fearless and unapologetic in calling for land expropriation, free education and economic freedom in our lifetime.

The ANCYL unreservedly supports media that is independent and report all wrongs based on facts and doing that within prescripts of Press codes. However,  the untruthful, unethical and gutter journalism by the Sunday Times doesn't deserve an iota of respect from the ANCYL supporters and members. Sunday Times has declared itself as a platform used to promote those who want the status quo on land ownership, access to education and economic ownership to remain unchanged. Their   maliciously attack on Cde Dr Nkosazana is because of her passion and commitment in the socio-economic development of society, in particular youth. Sunday Times is well known to be sympathetic to cheerleaders of white monopoly capital and brutal to anyone who calls for radical economic transformation.

Sunday Times was found guilty by the Press Ombudsman for publishing untruthful stories about Cde Dr Dlamini-Zuma in the Sunday Times of [the] 29 January 2017 but that has not assisted in rehabilitating them from pathological lying behaviour. Due to its interest on who must lead the ANC, the Sunday Times has long abandoned the principles of reporting news truthfully, accurately, fairly and is compromising the journalistic profession.

ANCYL supports the right for the public to a free media which is credible and subscribes to press codes. We are calling all our supporters and members to join in a demand for independent regulation of media houses. The self regulatory arrangement is not effective. Independent regulation is vital to provide a means for redress when pathological liars like Sunday Times breache the principles of ethical  journalism which is to report factually and objectively.

Issued by Mlondi Mkhize, National Spokesperson, ANCYL, 31 October 2017