E.tv stays mum on subpoenas
2010-01-19 16:15
Cape Town - E.tv on Tuesday declined to reveal how it would respond to the subpoenas served on two of its staff who aired interviews with criminals planning to target the 2010 Fifa World Cup.
"We are not going to talk about our strategy in the media," Vassili Vass, head of publicity at the independent station, said.
He declined to say whether e.tv had taken recourse to a 1999 interim agreement between the South African National Editors' Forum (Sanef), the ministries of justice and police and the prosecuting authorities that provides for mediation in such cases.
The agreement states that a media group served with a subpoena to reveal its sources can ask that the matter be referred to the National Director of Public Prosecutions, who could then initiate mediation to resolve the dispute and keep the matter out of court.
NPA: no mediation request made
National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Mthunzi Mhaga, said the matter was with the police, not the NPA.
ENews news editor Ben Said and reporter Mpho Lakaje have been subpoenaed to appear in court next week unless they provided the police with the names and addresses of two self-confessed criminals featured in a programme on the World Cup.
The two were shown with their faces obscured, one wearing a stocking over his head and the other loading a firearm.
One man said he would rob visitors during the tournament, and the other that he would shoot his way out of any confrontation with the police.
Mthethwa: eNews being reckless
Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa accused eNews of "regrettable and reckless harbouring of criminals" by concealing their identities.
He also demanded the journalists supply the unedited version of their footage aired last Friday as well as information about the firearm featured in it.
His spokesperson, Zweli Mnisi, said the ministry was aware of the agreement with Sanef but could not comment on whether it would be implemented in this case.
"Any comment will be used against us in this matter," he told Sapa.
Mthethwa has said that the men interviewed by e.tv had made themselves guilty of intimidation and should be arrested immediately.
He also accused eNews of being sensationalist and engendering "fear and hysteria" by repeatedly airing the footage.
- SAPA