Privacy Digest

Media outrage as editor faces arrest: It is a double standard to make a noise about the violation of Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang's right to privacy when authorities have no regard for the privacy rights of journalists.

This was the response of outraged media organisations that hit out against the imminent arrest of Sunday Times editor Mondli Makhanya and deputy managing editor Jocelyn Maker for illegally being in possession of Tshabalala-Msimang's health records.

"It also smacks of abuse of the intelligence services," said Freedom of Expression director, Jane Duncan, who described the surveillance of Makhanya and other journalists as "deeply disturbing".

Media Institute of South Africa chairperson Amina Frense commented that if journalists' right to privacy was infringed upon it would impact on the quality of the media's information and its gathering as whistleblowers and sources would be deterred from coming forward.

The South African National Editors' Forum (Sanef) is also disturbed by reports that police were instructed to "dig up dirt" on Makhanya and other journalists as well as the surveillance of their cellphone records.

Their story revealed that chronic alcoholism was the real reason for Tshabalala- Msimang's liver transplant and that she had been kicked out of Botswana for stealing from a patient.

"If these allegations are true and are coupled with the threats of Minister in the Presidency Dr Essop Pahad to withhold government advertising from the Sunday Times it would reveal outrageous conduct by political and police authorities," said Sanef chairperson Jovial Rantao.

The Freedom of Expression and Sanef argued that authorities were punishing the Sunday Times for carrying out its duty to inform the public on matters of public interest, which the High Court has upheld.

Judge Mahomed Jajbhay found that there was a "pressing need" for the public to be informed about the minister's conduct and ruled that the paper was free to comment on them.

(Read Original Article - Via The Mercury (ZA) .)