Sanef: Govt hasn't signed Mandela protocol
2012-12-15 14:51
Johannesburg - Government's failure to sign off on a protocol
for reporting on former president Nelson Mandela's health was short sighted,
the SA National Editors' Forum (Sanef) said on Saturday.
"We put rules on the table that took detailed account
of their input, and said we'd work with them in a very responsible
manner," Sanef chairperson Mondli Makhanya said.
Defence Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula's spokesperson
Sonwabo Mbananga and spokesperson for the Presidency Mac Maharaj said they
could not comment on the matter.
Mandela, 94, was flown to Pretoria from his home in Qunu, in
the Eastern Cape last Saturday. He has been hospitalised in a Pretoria facility
since last weekend.
The presidency said he was suffering from the recurrence of
a previous lung infection and was responding to treatment.
Mandela's hospital stay is his longest continuous period in
hospital since 2001, when he underwent seven weeks of radiotherapy after being
diagnosed with prostate cancer. He was 83 at the time.
Protocol
In a statement on Saturday, Sanef said top editors and media
executives have been working closely with government on a confidential protocol
for providing news about Mandela's health while protecting his privacy and that
of his family.
This was captured in a document drawn up after Mandela's
hospitalisation in February.
A media task team was formed on 27 February, after a high
level meeting between former Defence Minister Lindiwe Sisulu and news editors.
This task team met with Government Communication and
Information System (GCIS) to refine the confidential plan until a final
document was presented to Sisulu in June when she verbally agreed to it.
It was agreed not to publish the entire document, but the
self-imposed rules included that journalists were restricted to designated
zones in the vicinity of the hospital.
It also included that no media would attempt to gain access
to the medical facility without permission and acknowledgement from the media
of security arrangements and restricted access.
Any breach of the code of conduct would result in the media
house being expelled and denied access in the future in a commitment from the
media to respect Mandela's dignity and privacy at all times.
Rules and restrictions
Sanef said the document was forwarded to the defence
ministry on 5June, for approval. However, government did not immediately
sign-off on the agreement and Sisulu was moved to another portfolio.
Since then the media has been told by GCIS that the document
still had to be reviewed by the current defence minister.
"By the time Mr Mandela was hospitalised again this
month the agreement had still not been signed off."
Makhanya said there were no rules or restrictions that would
punish unethical behaviour by a journalist or a particular news room.
"Government is creating the very environment it says it
doesn't want."
Various news organisations, including eNCA, Eyewitness News
and the Mail & Guardian voiced their concern, saying Mandela was a global
figure and when he become ill the entire world was anxious.
CNN Africa bureau chief Kim Norgaard said even the
international media was prepared to co-operate on this.
"Our audiences also have a keen interest in Mr Mandela
and have a profoundly deep respect for him."
- SAPA
