Media
statement: Presidential
Press Corps
21 April 2002
The proposal for the creation of the
Presidential Press Corps was formalised at the Indaba between editors
and senior journalists under the umbrella of the South African National
Editors Forum (SANEF) and Cabinet in May 2001.
The Way Forward document adopted at
the Indaba spells out a set of commitments on better informing the
public: improving government communication; improvements in the
performance of the media; international issues; joint government
and media initiatives; and deepening freedom of expression.
To quote the document’s preamble:
"The Cabinet-SANEF Indaba represented
a historic moment in the relationship between government and the
media.
"Delegates noted a spirit of
robust, candid and open dialogue between government and the media.
Notwithstanding the opportunities lost in not having met earlier,
we believe the lesson is that dialogue should become a continuous
and ongoing feature of our democracy.
"This dialogue is vital for
the sustenance of our democracy and the ideals of our constitution
and founding settlement.
"The significance of the indaba
was reflected in the presence of the President and Cabinet Ministers,
plus a large number of the country's editors and senior media
professionals."
"Both sides accepted the challenges
of democratic transformation in South Africa, embraced the constitution
as the central reference point of our dialogue and engaged on
issues of public interest and national importance."
The Presidential Press Corps is but
one of the initiatives that emerged from the Indaba.
Operationally, the intention in establishing
the Press Corps is to provide members with as much unhindered access
to the President as possible. It is essential that all necessary
security procedures are followed.
Editors of news organisations and journalists
who have been nominated by editors to serve on the Press Corps,
have agreed to apply for Top Secret security clearance.
At a recent meeting of the corps, the
head of security in the Presidency pertinently emphasised the safety
of the President and assuaged concerns among journalists that the
security process could be abused.
This discussion characterised the frank
and honest nature of the interaction in the build-up to the formation
of the Press Corps.
Government and the media are working
collaboratively to oversee the establishment of the Corps. To date,
neither government nor the Presidential Press Corps Interim Committee,
established by the journalists themselves, has received objections
to the security clearance process, from nominees to the Corps or
their media houses.
In the light of the Sunday Independent
report, government and the Presidential Press Corps Interim Committee
will meet next week to establish and resolve any areas of concern
that may exist, including around privacy and constitutionality.
The Presidential Press Corps is scheduled
to begin on 30 April. The modus operandi and the evolution of the
Corps will be defined through consultations between government and
the Corps consistent with the spirit of the Cabinet-SANEF Indaba.
The Corps has representatives from:
- Beeld
- The Citizen
- Independent Newspapers
- Sowetan
- Business Day
- Natal Witness
- Die Volksblad
- Sunday Times
- Sunday World
- City Press
- Rapport
- SAPA
- News24
- Financial Mail
- SABC
- Etv
- Jacaranda fm
- KFM
- R702
For further information please contact:
Nad Pillay, Director: International
and Media Liaison, GCIS (082 33 88 783)
Tyrone Seale, Chairperson, Presidential Press Corps Interim Committee
(083 29 05 769)
Issued by the GCIS and the Presidential
Press Corps Interim Committee
21 April 2002
top
|
