Senzo Meyiwa Murder Trial: Journalists Apologise for Harassing Tumelo Madlala, Court Issues a Written Warning
- The journalists who chased down an eyewitness ahead of the Senzo Meyiwa murder trial have apologised
- Three media houses were temporarily banned from the courtroom for their behaviour on Tuesday, 13 September
- The incident angered a lot of South Africans who felt sorry for Tumelo Madlala, who was Meyiwa's longtime friend
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JOHANNESBURG - The media houses who were kicked out of the Senzo Meyiwa murder trial on Tuesday, 13 September, for harassing an eyewitness have apologised for their conduct.
Source: Getty Images
Judge Tshifhiwa Maumela of the Pretoria High Court ordered journalists to leave and temporarily banned audio and video recording of the trial after finding out that Tumelo Madlala, who was Meyiwa's longtime friend, was hounded by the press.
The South African National Editors Forum (SANEF) has now welcomed the apology granted by the media houses, saying what happened at the court house on Tuesday was not acceptable, reports SABC News.
SANEF’s Media Freedom Committee Chairperson, Makhudu Sefara, stated that the journalists went over the line with their conduct.
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"We understand that journalists are not above the law and not beyond criticism. What happened yesterday is that journalists overstepped the line, and as such, we appreciate the apologies from the media houses involved," said Sefara.
SANEF also issued a manual of guidelines on how journalists should behave n court.
According to EWN, the journalists were given a written warning after apologising for their conduct. The journalists were also warned that they would be permanently banned if the same behaviour was repeated.
South Africans weigh in
South Africans were really upset that journalists accosted Madlala and even felt bad for him.
Here are some comments:
@thandour21 said:
"Why didn't they protect Tumelo those journalists were out of hands, seriously that was harassment nje poor guy didn't even know which door to enter."
@antony_skapura said:
"Your journalists were kicked out because they abused a witness!!! SAY IT!!"
@thokozanima2 said:
"You welcome their apology – great. But what about condemning them for their actions? Shouldn’t you be calling to order?"
Eyewitness recounts slain soccer star’s last day, Senzo wrestled intruder before being shot
Briefly News previously reported that Senzo Meyiwa's best friend, Tumelo Madlala, was the first eyewitness to give evidence in the soccer star's murder trial. Madlala's testimony described a seemingly ordinary day before the former Orlando Pirates and Bafana Bafana goalie was shot.
Madlala appeared in the Gauteng High Court in Pretoria on Tuesday, 13 September. According to News24, Madlala testified about what transpired when Meyiwa was shot at his girlfriend Kelly Khumalo's mother's home on 26 October 2014.
Madlala said the Senzo was accompanied by Khumalo, her sister Zandi Khulamo and another man Mthokozisi Thwala when he came to pick Madlala up in his BMW X6.
Source: Briefly News
