THE National Press Club (NPC) strongly condemns the intimidation and harassment of SunMan, Rapula Mancai by Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) officials in Marikana, North West on Wednesday, 26 July.
This is after Mancai was instructed to delete his work when he was covering the party's 10th birthday celebration in Marikana at the Koppie when part of the stage collapsed during performances.
Mancai said that his alleged attackers approached him after he took pictures of the collapsed stage. He said the incident left him humiliated and the way he was approached was rough and totally unacceptable.
"I captured the incident which made some the party officials angry. I was then grabbed by two officials who took me backstage where my camera was confiscated, and media accreditation stripped off."
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Mancai said they demanded that he delete the pictures of the incident before he could get his working equipment back. According to him, part of the EFF officials who harassed, intimidated, and forced him to delete the pictures include the "party's media liaison officer, Thato Lebyane."
National Press Club Secretary, Frans Sello waga Machate, said the behaviour and abuse of the photographer by EFF officials cannot be tolerated under any circumstances as it interferes the right of journalists to do their work unhindered. He said that the National Press Club takes serious exception to this kind of intimidation and harassment of journalists, especially by party's media officials.
"We expect the EFF and its officials to treat members of the media with respect and allow journalists to do their work freely as enshrined in the Bill of Right particularly because the party is represented in the National Assembly and other provincial and local government structures. The abuse and intimidation of the media is barbaric and equal to violation of Human Rights."
"It cannot be allowed that journalists continue to suffer abuse and intimidation for carrying out their journalistic duties. The EFF is obliged by The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa to protect the freedom of expression which include the freedom of the press and other media and freedom to receive or impart information or ideas among other democratic rights." Machate said.
"Democracy relies strongly on the media as the fourth estate to ensure that the society is informed," he said.
Machate encouraged Mancai to lay criminal charges against the relevant EFF officials and called on the EFF and its leadership to uphold the South African Constitution, which guarantees the existence of media as the fourth estate and key pillar of democracy.
Machate said the National Press Club has tried to engage the EFF on this matter, but there was no response.
