More praise heaped on Nat Nakasa

@SITHOLEEXPRESS

Nat Nakasa award recipient, Joe Thlole. Pic (SANEF)

Nat Nakasa was a brave, excellent and exciting South African writer. This is according to author and investigative journalist  who won the annual Nat Nakasa Award in 1999 and in 2001.

Speaking to SABC Digital News, Wa Afrika says: “Nakasa was not just a writer; he was just one of those brilliant journalists we ever had in this country. I think for me to win an award named after one of the greatest journalists to ever come out of South Africa, it is a great honour.”


 

Mzilikazi wa Afrika on Nat Nakasa Award (Click to listen)

 



Veteran journalist, Joe Thloloe who himself won the Nat Nakasa Award for courageous journalism in 2012 says the award is one of the ways in which journalism is keeping Nakasa’s legacy.

“We have an annual award that we give, the Nat Nakasa Award for courageous journalism. We award this to journalists who have in fact lived up to the standards that where set by Nat Nakasa,” says former chairman of the South African National Editors' Forum (SANEF).

Wa Afrika says the generation of Nakasa has set up the tone for investigative journalists to be brave.

The Nat Nakasa Award is made to individuals working in the broadcast, online or print media who show exceptional integrity and courage in their work.

Mzilikazi wa Afrika on investigative journalism. (Click to listen)


Nakasa, whose body was exhumed from the Ferncliff Cemetery in the US, will be reburied on September 13, at the Heroes' Acre in Chesterville north of Durban.

Nakasa's remains were repatriated to South Africa a month ago. He left South Africa on an exit permit during the apartheid regime to take up a Nieman Fellowship in Harvard.

In an apparent suicide 50 years ago, Nakasa jumped off the seventh floor of his apartment in New York City.

Nakasa was born in 1937 in Durban; he spent the major part of his adult life as a journalist in Johannesburg, a regular contributor to the Golden City Post, an assistant editor of Drum and later as the first black columnist on the Rand Daily Mail.

At the height of his career, in 1963, he founded a literary tell-it-like-it-is journal called The Classic.

Some of the previous winners are: Terry Bell, Mondli Makhanya and Greg Marinovich.

Click to listen to Terry Bell who also won The Nat Nakasa Award.



 This article first appeared on SABCNews. It was done by Sthembiso Sithole (@SITHOLEEXPRESS) on Twitter.

Media coverage on children under spotlight

@SITHOLEEXPRESS

The media has been helpful in the way it has been reporting on children issues over the past 20 years, this is according to Childline's national office marketing manager, Joan van Niekerk.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with SABC Digital News, Van Niekerk says, "Certainly without the media having reported the way they have reported on children issues, we would not have the changes in law and policy that we have had. It has been helpful in terms of law reporting and assisting us who work in the field of children with the children's rights."

Although the media has been helpful, there are still concerns about how it portrays children.

Media Monitoring Africa (MMA) says children are often negatively stereotyped in the roles which they occupy in the media reporting- not only as victims but also often as faceless parts of a group and seldom as people in their own right.

The child monitors identify how children are portrayed in stories. The top 5 in 2012 were:

 

The media needs to make sure that their reporting is accurate

According to MMA: "Most of the stories analysed (82%) during 2013 were considered to have been reported well. Badly reported stories accounted for 18% and child monitors had various reasons for this such as stories not respecting the views of children, not taking their interests into consideration, perpetuating stereotypes and sensational reporting."

Van Niekerk says the media needs to make sure that their reporting is accurate. Click below to listen: http://iono.fm/e/90242

Despite having some journalists being specialised to report on children issues, Van Niekerk says the media still neglects other important issues involving children.

Click below to listen:
http://iono.fm/e/90243

MMA recruits around 80 children aged 11 to 15  from schools in Johannesburg and Cape Town to become media monitors.

Digital News also spoke to Naturena Primary School who are part of Media Monitoring Africa about their views on how media should report about children.

They say media houses need to report positively about children. Click below to watch the video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fY_v2DhnI4o

Click here for a great interactive tool that summarises the MMA 2013 Report and the findings of that Report about children.

 

This artcle first appeared on SABCNews site. It was done by Sthembiso Sithole.

Marawa leaves Brazil to pay tribute to Eddie Zondi

@SITHOLEEXPRESS

Eddie Zondi leaves behind his wife
 Phakamile.(Sthembiso Sithole)

Metro FM sport presenter Robert Marawa has cut short his Brazil soccer World Cup trip to pay tribute to radio personality Eddie Zondi.

The 083 Sports@6 presenter Robert Marawa says Zondi was not just a colleague but also a friend. "I only got here this morning from Brazil. I was on World Cup duty and when you hear news like this, any form of duty comes to an end. The only duty you have is to support the family," says Marawa who also works for SuperSport.

Zondi passed away on Monday morning on the way to hospital after complaining of chest pains.

On Thursday, SABC and Metro FM held a special memorial service for Zondi who presented the Romantic Repertoire on Sundays between 3 and 6pm. The service attended by members of the public took place at Standard Bank Arena in Johannesburg.

Speaker after speaker paid homage to Zondi. Metro FM presenter Wilson B Nkosi described the radio icon as someone who had a big heart.

Programme director at the memorial, Nothemba Madumo, said Zondi should be remembered for the person he was "and how he touched every one of us. Because everyone has a different experience with Eddie."

She added, "He spread a lot of love, compassion and caring."

His daughters Khanyisile, Zetheme and Siphesihle shared memories that they had with their father. Siphesihle described his father as a caring dad who always made time for his family.

Makhosonke as he was affectionately known leaves behind his wife Phakamile.

The 47-year-old radio DJ will be buried at Westpark Cemetery in Johannesburg. His funeral service will be held at University of Johannesburg’s Soweto campus.

Click here to watch live Twitter updates from the memorial serive.

Click here to watch photos from memorial service: (PhotoSnack)

Metro FM dedicated an hour on air to pay tribute to Zondi who passed away on Monday morning.  Metro FM's Amon Mokoena and Siphokazi January took the calls from listeners who paid tribute to the renowned radio personality.

Listeners were given a chance to share their memories on the show.

Click below to listen to the full show:

http://iono.fm/e/87651

This article first appeared on SABCNews site. It was done by Sthembiso Sithole.

M&G to meet ANC leadership over 'unfair' reporting accusations

@SITHOLEEXPRESS

Mail and Guardian editor, Angela Quintal
accepting ANCYL memorundum in Rosebank.(Sthembiso Sithole)

The African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL) has every right to express their views, that’s according to Mail and Guardian editor, Angela Quintal.

Her comment follows a march organized by the youth league to the M&G's office in Johannesburg, over the papers coverage of the May 7 elections. According to the ANCYL, the M&G was biased against the ANC in its reporting during the elections.

The league says: "The Mail&Guardian is one of media houses which have become willing propagandist of a counter-revolution against the ANC in support of the opposition instead of fair, objective, balanced and accurate reporting."

Speaking exclusively to SABC Digital News, Quintal says they will meet next week with the ANC leadership to discuss concerns that the party has regarding the newspaper’s election coverage.

"We are in a democratic country. We will engage with the leadership. We are looking forward to meeting them and we will have a robust debate," says Quintal.

During the march, close to 200 ANCYL supporters and Congress of the South African Student (Cosas) members sang anti-M&G songs outside the newspapers offices in Rosebank, Johannesburg.

Some of the protestors were pupils from different schools in Gauteng. A learner from the Bona-Lesedi High school in Mamelodi, Thabang Mahlomuza, says he was told to join march.

Mahlomuza says "he has never read M&G, but knows that it's biased." He added, "The paper is not fair. We are here to defend our president. Tomorrow I am writing English paper 1, I told myself that I need to be here."

Cosas Provincial Secretary, Khulekani Skosana says the M&G must print the truth about President Jacob Zuma. He says if they don't they will deal with the paper's management.

ANCYL convener, Alex Mashilo shares the same sentiments with Mahlomuza. He says they demand fair reporting from the paper. He has also accused the paper of endorsing the Democratic Alliance during the elections.

The M&G says it will study the memorandum and will give feedback to the party's leadership during their meeting with them.

Click here to watch photos of the march: (PhotoSnack)

For live tweet updates from the march, click here

This article first appeared on SABCNews site. It was done by Sthembiso Sithole.

Boko Haram, Al-Shabab have common elements: Analyst

@SITHOLEEXPRESS

Nigeria's Islamist Boko Haram
leader Abubakar Shekau.(REUTERS)

Senior Lecturer and academic leader for International and Public Affairs in the School of Politics at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, Dr Bhekithemba Mngomezulu says the origins of Boko Haram and Al-Shabab have common elements.

Boko Haram means: An Islamic jihadist organisation based in Nigeria, Niger and Cameroon.

Al-Shabab means: "The youth", an al-Qaeda-linked Islamic militant organisation based in Somalia.

Speaking on SAfm Forum@8, Mngomezulu says both extremist groups have an element of ‘thugurism’. He says in some instances these groups kill fellow Muslims.

"If you look at the manner they operate (Boko Haram and Al-Shabab), not only do they kill Christians, but they also kill fellow Muslims who don’t have their vision of the Islamic religion," adds Mngomezulu.

More than 200 Nigerian schoolgirls remain missing after they were abducted by Boko Haram.

Last week, the leader of the rebel group, Abubakar Shekau said he will release the kidnapped girls by his fighters last month in exchange for prisoners.

Militants fighting for an Islamist state stormed a secondary school in the north eastern village of Chibok on April 14 and seized 276 girls who were taking exams. Some managed to escape.
Meanwhile, a bomb blasts killed at least 118 people and wounded 45 in the crowded business district of the central Nigerian city of Jos on Tuesday, emergency services said, in an attack that appeared to bear the hallmarks of the Boko Haram insurgents.

The blasts took place in Terminus, the downtown area of Jos housing shops, some offices and a market. The explosions burned several shops to the ground, shattering windows and spreading rubble in the road.

Police sirens wailed as officers rushed to the scene. Mngomezulu says most of the problems taking place in Africa, are sustained by the international community.

He says, "They identify how these groups operate and then they strike secret deals with these groups, and then arm them."- Edited by Sthembiso Sithole and Additional Reporting by Reuters.
Click here to listen to Dr Bhekithemba Mngomezulu.

This article first appeared on SABCNews site. It was done by Sthembiso Sithole.

Numsa wants out from ANC alliance: Jim

@SITHOLEEXPRESS

Numsa's Irvin Jim. (SABC)

National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) general secretary Irvin Jim says the alliance with the African National Congress (ANC) is not working out. He says they want out from the alliance.

Speaking on SAfm's Forum@8, he says Numsa has taken a conscious decision that it is time that the working class should organise itself as a class.

Jim says, "Workers actually took a decision in a democratic fashion. Workers said that for all the years we have voted for the ANC, we spent money. The workers said that "your leadership led us to believe that all things will be addressed and that there shall be a new growth path. The workers gave us a tight mandate; do away with e-tolls and ban labour brokers."

Workers told Numsa’s leadership that it’s time to form a United Front

He says the turning point was the adoption of the National Development Plan in Mangaung. In Numsa's 2013 secretariat report, it highlights their stance on several issues and the NDP is one of the issues.

It states that: "The ANC has made it clear that the National Development Plan will be a cornerstone of its 2014 manifesto. We have identified the National Development Plan as a fundamentally neo-liberal document since we first responded to the analysis document that preceded it. We have been absolutely clear, since the ANC adopted the Plan at Mangaung, that we regard it as a direct assault on the working class."

He says workers told Numsa’s leadership that it’s time to form a United Front.

"We have taken two fundamental resolutions; firstly we will continue to persuade Cosatu affiliates and workers that it is time that we take a decision that this alliance is dead. This alliance with the ANC is not working. The second thing that workers said was that now it is time to form a united front. We need to build a popular movement in the form of united front," says Jim.


 
Click here to listen to Irvin Jim on their plans to form a United Front.


Numsa didn’t support the ruling party in last week’s general elections. Jim says workers democratically said: "We shall not campaign for the ANC."

He says people want to condemn Numsa for embarking on a democratic process.

Click here listen to Irvin Jim on Cosatu.

On President Jacob Zuma, he says under Zuma’s leadership, there have been scandals after scandals. He says people must accept that Zuma is just deployed.

"I think people must accept that President Jacob Zuma is just a deployee just like all the deployees of the liberation alliance that we have been part of. You want to tell us that occupying the centre of power that he occupies; he knows nothing about Nkandla and the Gupta plane landing at the airforce base. We are undermined, why should we accept that?"

Click here to read some of the comments on social media about :Numsa to form United Front

This article was first published on SABCNews site. It was done by Sthembiso Sithole.

IFP confident of victory in 2014 polls

@SITHOLEEXPRESS




IFP's Albert Mncwango. (www.uj.ac.za)

Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP)'s deputy national chairperson, Albert Mncwango, says they are going to surprise a lot of people in the upcoming elections.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with SABC
Digital News, he says they are hopeful that after May 7 the IFP will gain more support in KwaZulu-Natal.

Mncwango adds: "I was in Nongoma and I welcomed 200 former members of the IFP who defected to the NFP before, who are coming back. I am hopeful that after the elections, a totally different picture will emerge."

Click here to listen to the full interview with IFP's deputy national chairperson, Albert Mncwango.

He says the party suffered a setback after former IFP chairperson Zanele kaMagwaza-Msibi formed her new party, the National Freedom Party (NFP), which was officially launched on February 12, 2011.

The formation of the party came as no surprise as kaMagwaza-Msibi had several run-ins with the IFP leadership over a viable succession plan within the ailing KZN-based party.

The party contested its first election on May 18 when it participated in the 2011 Local Government Elections (LGE). In the election, the party managed to win 2.4% of the vote, two councils and 224 council seats. In KZN, the party entered into formal coalitions with the African National Congress (ANC) in 19 hung councils.

Mncwango says, "It is true we have been experiencing a downward trend during the past three or four elections, but we now understand what has been happening."

He also points out that the issue of adequate resources such as funding has been a problem to the party.

Political analyst Aubrey Matshiqi, meanwhile, says the race between the IFP and NFP will be interesting in the upcoming elections.

He says, "My assessment though is that the NFP won’t gain sufficiently to undermine the IFP as the number two political party in KZN. But if the NFP emerges as the second largest party in KZN that would spell disaster for the IFP with regard to future elections."

He says what was the IFP’s support in 1994 or even in 1999 is now spread in three ways, those voters are found in the ANC then the IFP and then the NFP.

Click here to listen to Political analyst Aubrey Matshiqi.


The 2004 election saw the IFP lose its 30 years of dominance in KwaZulu-Natal to the ANC. The graph below shows how the IFP has been performing in the previous elections both nationally and in KZN.






IFP draws its support largely from Zulu-speaking South Africans. Its strongholds are the rural areas of KZN and the migrant workers’ hostels in the metropolitan areas of Gauteng.

Mangosuthu Buthelezi has led the IFP since he founded it as the Inkatha National Cultural Liberation Movement in 1975. His political career dates back to the 1940s, when he joined the ANC Youth League while studying at Fort Hare University.

Inkatha was transformed into a political party in July 1990, championing federalism as the best political option for South Africa. The IFP believes in integrating traditional leadership into the system of governance by recognising traditional communities as models of societal organisation.

In the past, there have been calls for him to step down, but Buthelezi has maintained that he wouldn’t leave the party while it’s facing problems.

"A lot of damage has been done to the IFP. I need to step aside, like all other people of my age, but I can't leave when the party is facing so much challenges. I would be a coward if I leave now. I have not decided to continue but at the same time I am forced to stay on because of the problems faced by the IFP. I am caught between a rock and a hard place," said Buthelezi in 2012.

Mncwango shares the same sentiments with his leader - he says Buthelezi is still managing a transition. He says the party required Buthelezi to stay on, more than three times when he had wanted to retire.

Click here for more on Mncwango's interview.


This article was first published on SABCNews site.It was done by Sthembiso Sithole.