Blue-light brigade assaults journalist

According to the ProJourn statement, the association condemns the manhandling of Eye Witness News (EWN) journalist Tshepo Lesole yesterday by members of President Jacob Zuma's VIP Protection Unit. "As a member of the press, Lesole is fully entitled to take pictures of the Presidential cavalcade (as is any member of the public). That he was detained for doing so, and forced to delete the images, harks back to Apartheid era thuggery and censorship. Incidents like these should not occur in a democratic state," continues the statement.

ProJourn says its is deeply concerned about this incident, not the first of its kind involving members of VIP protection units and the media, not to forget several incidents of brutality against members of the public by so called 'blue-light brigades'.

Members of the police service are tasked with protecting and serving the public, including the media, and ProJourn calls on the police service, VIP units or not, to respect the rights of working journalists, and to do their jobs without infringing on the rights of other members of society, particularly those who are merely trying, in turn, to do their jobs.

Concludes the statement: "It is critical that these bodyguards are held accountable for their actions by their employer, the courts and the country in order to prevent further attacks against journalists. The right of journalists to perform their duties without hindrance is enshrined in the Constitution, and anyone violating that right should be appropriately sanctioned."

For more:

• IOL: Journo forced to delete pics of Zuma convoy… The radio station wants SAPS and the Presidency to investigate the incident - but will anything happen? A little while ago Zuma brushed off criticism when a student (incidentally an active ANC supporter) in Cape Town was ‘black-bagged' taken in for questioning after he had allegedly zapped Zuma's convoy.

• Twitter: first, second and third tweets by @nicdawes concerning M&G photographer intimidation

• EWN.co.za: Zuma's bodyguards take more flak

• Facebook: join the discussion on the Professional Journalists' Association (South Africa) group

Last updated 17 March 2010 at 5.13pm