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The 'toothless' watchdog
30/03/2005 13:06 - (SA)
Tomorrow is polling day in neighbouring Zimbabwe. Hopefully without violence - it is a democracy, after all; the status quo of Zanu-PF being carried on afterwards; maybe a couple of more seats for the MDC.
Most probably election observers will formally declare it a "free and fair" process. (As a matter of fact, it has already been declared that by a South African government official days before the election.)
Everything a farce? And the media getting the Oscar for best supporting actor in this farce? And why, you may ask, does it concern you?
Because it is our neighbouring country, and its well-being is fundamental to our own development.
And because it is also all about freedom of expression.
An election is supposedly the ultimate manifestation of a democracy - the word meaning the people rule - with media freedom a fundamental component. After all, without an unfettered media as part of the information process, how can voters make up their mind?
Only problem is, there is hardly any sign of a free media in the country of Bob's your uncle, what with regular reports of Mugabe apparatchiks interfering with the media - independent as well as state-owned.
Interfering? Eish no. More a matter of violating media freedom.
Did we pass or did we fail?
If the media has to reflect what the people say and what the people's wishes are, how did we as South African media measure up? If at all?
It's a simple answer, actually. If we argue that the media is the watchdog of democracy, everything that has led to this election in our sister country and the way the media has reported on it, have proven the media as a toothless watchdog. In fact, we have failed the people of Zimbabwe.
Whatever we did, it was not enough to prevent the current situation of depravation, hunger, starvation - a complete breakdown of human rights, a bankrupt country in every respect - economically, politically, morally.
Where were we while our fellow-journalists in Zimbabwe were prevented from doing their work? Why were we not the sentries on the towers to keep watch on behalf of the people in Zim?
The media, always quick to fall onto clichés such as "the voice of the voiceless", the "pillar of democracy", indeed, the ever so high and mighty untouchable "Fourth Estate" (no, it's not that elite suburb on the other side of Camps Bay) - why did we not sound the alarm?
But we did, some may say. Yes, there were reports. But if the media is so powerful - and if the pen is mightier than the sword - how come Zimbabwe is in the state it is? How did we really measure up in reporting on the events in our sister country? Did we pass or fail the test of being the "watchdog"?
No bark. No bite. No balls.
The fact is that we did not even have the guts to criticise - audibly - the so-called "silent diplomacy" from this side of the Limpopo river. We dared to make a few comments every now and then, but were mostly as silent as the diplomacy itself.
Too afraid of being labelled unpatriotic, and too afraid of being labelled racist. A brilliant strategy and "best practice" to make the media a toothless, drooling watch dog? Without a bark, let alone a bite. Certainly with no balls.
Let's hope that social movements do a better job for our fellow-Southern Africans than the media. And let's hope that tonight's vigil on the eve of the election will also inspire the media to do its job, especially the independent media voices in Zimbabwe who still represent the voice of the people.
And let's hope their courage inspire us South African journalists. So that we can get our bark back. And our bite. Maybe even our balls.
Lizette Rabe is head of the postgraduate Department of Journalism at the University of Stellenbosch, a Sanef council member and Sanef-convenor for the Western Cape. And she's addicted to news.
Send your comments to Lizette or discuss this column now in our debating forum.
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