The South African National Editors’ Forum (Sanef) has issued a scathing rebuke of President Cyril Ramaphosa, the Office of the Presidency, and the Government Communications and Information System (GCIS) for their “inadequate preparations, unfair treatment, and lack of professionalism” toward journalists during the president’s oversight visit to the Port of Ngqura in Gqeberha on April 15 2025.
In a strongly worded statement, Sanef detailed how accredited journalists, invited by the Presidency through GCIS to cover the visit, were met with exclusion and disregard. While a select few television cameras were permitted to follow the President, print, online, and radio journalists were left stranded for over two hours without access, updates, or information.
No apologies nor explanation given
“The only glimpse they had of the president was as his convoy drove past them. They had no opportunity to ask questions or engage meaningfully,” Sanef noted, adding that no apologies or explanations were provided.
“This is not only a failure in planning. It is a gross insult to the media and, by extension, the South African public,” said Sanef chairperson Sbu Ngalwa.
“Journalists were not invited for ceremonial purposes. Their presence was to ensure public transparency, accountability, and proper reporting on matters of national interest. To treat them as an afterthought is to undermine their constitutional role.”
The incident is part of what Sanef describes as an “ongoing pattern of exclusion and disrespect” towards the media.
No formal media engagement since 2023
The organisation highlighted that Ramaphosa has not held a formal media engagement since 2023. This is despite public commitments and repeated requests from Sanef.
“This is not to be confused with one-on-one interviews with selected media houses or fleeting ‘doorstop’ moments at public events,” the statement clarified.
“All of President Ramaphosa’s predecessors — from Nelson Mandela to Jacob Zuma — kept to the established practice of regularly engaging with the media. The current president has chosen not to do so, for reasons the Presidency has not explained.”
Sanef emphasised the critical role of journalists as “public watchdogs tasked with holding power to account”.
Undermining of democratic principles
The organisation warned that sidelining or selectively granting access to media practitioners undermines democratic principles of fairness, equality, and transparency.
“The continued marginalisation of journalists, particularly by the highest office in the land, sets a worrying precedent. And it must be discouraged,” Ngalwa stated.
The forum has demanded an explanation for the Gqeberha incident. It also called for an urgent review of the Presidency’s and GCIS’s media engagement protocols. This in order to prevent future occurrences. Additionally, Sanef urged the Presidency to commit to a date for an open media engagement.
Key role of media
“Government communication must be inclusive, transparent, and professional at all times,” Ngalwa stressed.
“We urge the Presidency and GCIS to take the role of the media seriously. To respect the vital role it plays in a thriving democracy.”
As of now, neither the Presidency nor GCIS has responded to Sanef’s demands.
