Cops warn off angry media
2007-1-17 21:18
Johannesburg - Gauteng police told media organisations on Wednesday not to make direct contact with police stations following the new police centralisation process.
Director Govindsamy Mariemuthoo said: "There will be no comments to media enquiries from any member of the service in the province...
"Do not attempt to make direct contact at police stations because only official spokespersons at provincial head office will deal with the media."
The centralisation process, said to be part of an "outrageous pattern of (media) censorship" by the Media Institute of Southern Africa (Misa), will take effect on January 22.
'Censorship'
In effect, the restructuring removes area media liaison officers within the police who previously made easier the speedy dissemination of information on crime.
From January 22, media organisations will have to liaise only with provincial communication officers.
Raymond Louw, deputy chairperson of the South African branch of Misa, said: "This latest move to limit the flow of police information to the public follows the outrageous pattern of censorship...
"It shows how fast the government is creating an information-starved state which is totally opposed to the democratic principles it purports to uphold."
Police who had dealt with the media at a local level up until now would be re-deployed according to a skills audit, which determined individuals' skills abilities.
Misa-SA called on the police commissioner (Jackie Selebi) to halt the restructuring process and discuss practical solutions with the media.
The SA National Editors' Forum said they would ask for an urgent meeting with the hierarchy of the SA Police Service.
Louw said the restructuring, as well as attempts to push through the Films and Publications Amendment Bill last year, the clampdown on the publication of crime statistics and barring journalists from important court hearings was a "contravention of the spirit and letter of the constitution".
David Canning, editor of the Mercury in Durban, said: "I'm quite worried about it... that it might be more difficult to get information.
"Nobody's informed us. Maybe they'll eventually tell us about it," he said.
Thabo Leshilo, editor-in-chief of the Sowetan newspaper and Sunday World, said: "It is worth monitoring how this (restructuring) will affect the free flow of information."
Formal complaints
"We're going to run stuff without police comment if we need to," warned a Gauteng crime reporter, speaking on condition of anonymity. "Information is being centralised. It's very frustrating."
Naidoo said anyone unhappy about the restructuring had 21 days in which to formally lodge a complaint at the provincial offices.
"The restructuring is an operational, internal strategy and it's going to remain internal," he said.
