$OHUW Date: May 2, 2012 Person/ institution: Print media Violation/ issue: Legislation A report released by the Press Freedom Commission on Wednesday, 25 April 2012, the PFC, has recommended independent co-regulation and rejected the existing model of self-regulation. The South African National Editors Forum (SANEF) and Print Media South Africa (PMSA) mandated the Press Freedom Commission to independently carry out research and come up with recommendations on the ideal regulatory framework for print media in South Africa. This was done in response to the ruling African National Congress’ (ANC) proposed Media Appeals Tribunal (MAT), which sought to establish a framework for political oversight of the media. the ruling African National Congress (ANC). The proposal for a Media Appeals Tribunal (MAT), as it was called, threatened media freedom in South Africa as various journalists, media professionals, academics, activists and politicians argued. $OHUW Date: October 17, 2012 Person/ institution: Press Ombudsman Violation/ issue: legislation Nic Dawes, editor-in-chief of investigative newspaper, Mail & Guardian, together with South Africa Press Ombudsman, Joe Thloloe will today, Wednesday, 17 October 2012, discuss – via a live video interview – a new press code that will come into effect from January 2013 despite it having launched formally on 3 October 2012. The new press code, a 50-page document, is the result of broad consultations which took place against the backdrop of proposals for a statutory media regulation body by Date: November 19, 2012 Person/ institution: Mzilikazi wa Afrika Violation/ issue: Victory Minister of Police, Nathi Mthetwa has conceded that the 2010 arrest of investigative journalist, Mzilikazi wa Afrika, was wrongful and will now pay damages of R100,000 (US$11,320) as well as the legal costs of the newspaper wa Afrika’s writes for, The Sunday Times. The journalist was arrested after publishing a series of stories which pointed to then Inspector-General of Police, Bheki Cele, having been involved in questionable deals on the lease for new South African Police Headquarters in the capital, Pretoria. Cele was subsequently fired. According to media reports at the time of his arrest, wa Afrika was denied access to his lawyers for 48 hours and was transported from Gauteng Province, where he was arrested to Mpumalanga Province without the knowledge of his lawyer. He was never brought to court. “This was a full-frontal assault on the freedom to report on corruption and it is comforting that the minister has acknowledged the arrest was wrongful. However, no amount of money can 6R7KLVLV'HPRFUDF\" $OHUW