Paul Mashatile Reassures Media Houses That They Won’t Have To Pay a Fee To Cover ANC's Nasrec Conference

• Media houses can take a sigh of relief after the ruling explained that it would not charge the media a fee to cover its elective conference
• Pule Mabe, the ANC's spokesperson, made comments that alluded that the party was setting up fee packages for media's attendance
• Paul Mashatile assured the media that the ANC never planned on making the media pay and that it will run as it has in the past

JOHANNESBURG - The Treasurer General of the African National Congress (ANC), Paul Mashatile, cleared up speculation that media houses will have to pay a cover charge at the party's December conference.

According to News24, Mashitile released a statement on Thursday that the party never intended for the media to pay in order to cover the upcoming Nasrec conference in Gauteng.

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"We intend to approach media coverage of the conference as we have done in the past. The ANC will continue engaging with the media as we build up toward the conference. We endeavour to resolve any challenges that may arise as best as we can."

This clarification follows the organised meeting by the South African National Editors' Forum (SANEF) with the ANC to discuss the matter.

The ANC spokesperson, Pule Mabe, led media houses to believe that the ruling party was creating fee packages for the media to aid the ANC in covering some infrastructure expenses that will be used by the media at the conference.

Mabe claimed the monies would be used for the media's benefit and not supplement the party's struggling finances, reported Daily Maverick. He further added:

"We want to ensure that the five days we are here together work for you, and that you can cover everything. Everyone wants to be accommodated. We are creating this so that everyone can be accommodated."

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Cash-strapped ANC wants to charge media houses to broadcast elective conference

Briefly News reported that the African National Congress (ANC) wants media houses to fork out cash to report from the party’s 55th national conference in December.

The ruling party believes it is only fair for media houses to meet it halfway by paying for access to the conference.

Source: Briefly News