Mhlaba arrest barbaric and outrageous

20 February 2008 - 02:00
By unknown

The arrest of Mhlaba Memela - a Sowetan reporter - by the Durban Metro police is barbaric and outrageous (Sowetan, February 13).

The arrest of Mhlaba Memela - a Sowetan reporter - by the Durban Metro police is barbaric and outrageous (Sowetan, February 13).

It indeed reflects a hostile mind-set towards journalists and photographers in general. The South African chapter of the Media Institute of Southern African (Misa) declares that the conduct of the police constituted an improper, if not illegal, attempt to censor the media.

Misa-SA urges the Durban Metro police to allow the proper functioning of the free press. There can be no excuse for any attempt to limit this freedom.

Dumisani Nyalunga, media and advocacy officer, Misa-SA