State of the media in Southern Africa - 2003 The judgment has largely ignored the persuasive wisdom of international tribunals such as the European Court of Human Rights and the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia which have held the “last resort principle” to be an important pillar of media freedom. This principle may only be violated in the strictest of circumstances. The judgment also takes no notice of the argument by these two international bodies that by compelling journalists to testify before all other avenues of information have been exhausted, the work of journalists will become much more difficult and as a consequence, the right of the public to be informed about matters of public interest will be impermissibly truncated. The four organisations are meanwhile considering further avenues of legal recourse including joining in Munusamy’s case as amici curiae when her counsel appeals to the Constitutional Court. Enquiries Jude Mathurine Media Institute of Southern Africa - South Africa Chapter 083 7991701 Simon Kimani Ndung’u FXI 083 7332675 Henry Jeffreys/ Guy Berger- 082 801 1405 South African National Editors Forum 083 286 8347 Tuwani Gumani Media Workers Association of South Africa 082 679 9057 Press Statement December 4, 2003 TOPIC: Conduct of former City Press editor PRESS STATEMENT: “Disgraced” editor an embarrassment to journalism T he Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA)-South Africa is deeply shocked by the ap pearance before the Hefer Commission of former City Press editor Vusi Mona and by his testimony last week. Mona has disgraced journalism by breaking several cardinal rules of ethical and professional conduct. Mona attended a confidential briefing by National Director of Public Prosecutions Bulelani Ngcuka in July, at the end of which he expressed his satisfaction with the briefing and requested that more meetings of that nature should be held. A few days later, in an article that made no reference to the off-the-record briefing, Mona praised the work of Ngcuka’s office. But, several weeks later, apparently after hearing that Ngcuka’s elite police unit, the Scorpions, were investigating him, Mona compiled a dossier of complaints about Ngcuka’s conduct at the briefing that he claimed to be illegal and unconstitutional. He sent his grievances to the Chief Justice, the SA Human Rights Commission, the Public Protector and the Minister of Justice and then reiterated the contents of this dossier in testimony before the Hefer Commission. He claimed he was appearing as “a citizen” and that he was carrying out his duty as a citizen. Mona’s acceptance of an invitation to testify before the Hefer Commission compromised his professional obligation to keep the content and source of the briefing a secret. Journalism’s codes So This Is Democracy? 2003 140 Media Institute of Southern Africa