Memoradum regarding Sekunjalo removal of the Cape Times Editor

At a picket on the 17 December 2013 the Right2Know campaign delivered a memorandum  to Dr Iqbal Surve of  Sekunjalo Investments expresses our great disquiet at his removal of the editor of the the Cape Times – an unprecedented threat to  journalism in South Africa.      

In the  memorandum we call for: 

1. Editorial independence: A minimum requirement for the company assuring the public of its commitment to independent journalism would be for an editorial charter to be drafted – and an editorial advisory board to be appointed – by people and institutions entirely independent of the owners of the Independent Newspapers.

2. The unconditional withdrawal of all threats to sue the Cape Times editor, Alide Dasnois, and reporter Melanie Gosling.

3. The unconditional re-instatement of Alide Dasnois as editor of the Cape Times, should she be willing to return after the treatment meted out to her. Alternatively, a suitable settlement to compensate for all her losses should be negotiated with her, including the indignities she has had to suffer.

4. The written assurance that SIM, Sekunjalo Holdings and Sekunjalo Investments and their chairman, Iqbal Survè, will never again sue, or threaten to sue any of Independent Newspapers’ titles, editors and editorial staff on matters of overwhelming public interest or that involve fair comment

Download the full memorandum here .