Sanef condemns attack on journalist
2013-01-10 22:13
Johannesburg - The SA National Editors' Forum on Thursday condemned the attack by striking farmworkers on a journalist and called on the police to arrest the perpetrators.
It was concerned about the "wider, chilling effect" the attack could have on journalists assigned to cover such strikes.
"Sanef condemns the vicious attack by striking farmworkers on the journalist covering their unprotected strike at De Doorns in the Western Cape," the organisation said in a statement.
Farmworkers overturned and set fire to the car, driven by journalist Xolani Koyana and belonging to the Cape Times, during the strike on Wednesday. No one was injured.
"Apart from their lives being endangered Sanef cannot imagine a more counter-productive activity by the strikers in launching the attack and so trying to prevent the journalists from reporting on their complaints about wages and conditions of employment and conveying that story to the public at large."
- SAPA
