News is not speculated Ferial Haffejee, maybe analysis

Last weekend South Africans and many across the globe witnessed a City Press newspaper screaming “Mbeki is back”. Without wanting to jump my guns, I read the report to reasonably make up my mind. It was after reading the entire report – and a related one – that I believed the report was speculative and misleading at best, to a reasonable reader, that is.

Was Sowetan’s Mathale “dare” Zuma claim misleading?

The ANC in Limpopo rejected a Sowetan newspaper report about two weeks back, alleging that its provincial leader and chairperson Cassel Mathale had dared the ruling African National Congress President Jacob Zuma to arrest him. The rejection of the allegation follows the newspaper report‘s headline line “Mathale Dares Zuma: Arrest Me”, followed by sub-heading “Defiant Limpopo Premier Lashed Out As Mangaung Fever Hots Up”.

SA newspapers’ editors on the Info Bill

Today, 22 November 2011, marked the day when South African members of Parliament in the National Assembly – majority of whom are members of the ruling African National Congress – voted into law legislation what would apparently see disclosure of any state information being a criminal offence, and therefore seeing its leakers and publishers facing about 20 years imprisonment.

Has Mail & Guardian confused you on the Maharaj saga?

I could not help but suspect that Mail & Guardian had left many people confused this weekend after it was successfully advised by President Jacob Zuma’s spokesperson, Mac Maharaj – an advice that was also supported by its own lawyers – that publishing information not authorised by the National Prosecuting Authority would be a criminal offence punishable for up to 15 years imprisonment.

ANC does U-turn on the Info Bill public consultations,again

The ruling ANC has just issued a press statement saying it intends holding the public consultation on the Info bill across the country starting today, 18 November 2011. In a statement released on Friday evening, 18 November 2011, the ruling party said “a number of ANC Members of Parliament will this weekend interact with communities in various provinces on the Protection of State Information Bill”.