Ndudi Anyim
South Africa’s Police Minister, General Bheki Cele, has called on the press to be responsible and report based on facts and not hearsay.
Gen. Cele’s call followed a recent publication in Landbouweekblad newspaper, where he was quoted as telling framers in Normandien thus, ‘Cele: Boere moenie kla as hulle seerkry nie’ translated in English as ‘Farmers must not complain when they get hurt.’
The report, which further created tension in the farming community, was brought before the Press Ombudsman by Gen. Cele, who was convinced the journalists as well as the newspaper’s editorial team, were reckless and irresponsible for publishing an article based on a fabrication.
Security Watch Africa reports that the report came from a rural safety meeting hosted by the SAPS, in September 2020, involving the farming community of Normandien, which included farmers, farm dwellers and workers.
The article claimed that the Police Minister made the statement during his address to the farming community that was reeling from a recent brutal murder of local couple.
The Police Minister, however, maintained that at no point did he make such a ‘careless statement’ when trying to work with the community to find workable solutions to farm attacks.
In his defence, Gen. Cele said, “ The journalists who wrote the article were not present at the event in question and relied on ‘hearsay’ from their sources. More shocking is the failure by the newspaper to deny me a right of reply.
“The Landbouweekblad Editor, Chris Burgess, had defended the decision saying taking into account the colourful statements the minister has uttered in the past, we felt it was not unreasonable to assume that he could have said something to the extent that we reported.”
The Press Ombudsman found the newspapers headline was misleading and breached several sections of the Press Code.
The Police Minister noted that such editorial decision and such a lapse in judgment further fuelled tensions across South Africa, eroding the relationship between the police and the farming community.
“It is critical that the media recognises its power of destruction if they don’t do their work properly. This sort of reporting saw further violence by members of the farming community, who many of them read the Landbouweekblad newspaper, go on a rampage and storm a court building in Senekal and touch a police vehicle, following the gruesome killing of another farm manager combined with the anger and resentment they had towards the statement I never said.”
Gen. Cele said this ruling should serve as an important lesson.
The minister continued, “Not just for this newspaper, but for the profession which highlights that journalism cannot act beyond reproach and those who are supposed to be the voice of the people must conduct themselves with due diligence. “Good journalism cannot at any point allow hear say’ to replace facts. It is a dangerous practice that can cause irreparable damage,” Gen. Cele warned.