The protests, which have been going on for close to week, have left four people dead and dozens arrested.
SABC journalists, Njanji Chauke and Noma Bolani spoke of the threats they faced in Sasolburg during an interview on Morning Live, a television breakfast show broadcast on SABC 2. The interview aired live on Thursday, 24 January 2013.
“Even though it seemed as if I was safe [because I was closer in proximity to] the police side, it also seemed as if I was being attacked [by the protesters] because we became a target as the media,” Bolani said, adding that unsuccessful attempts had been made to torch the SABC vehicle which the journalists were using.
Chauke, who was one of the very first journalists to be on the scene when protests broke out Sunday, 20 January 2013, said tension was very high in the area and it was difficult for him and his cameraman to do their work.
Speaking to the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA), Chauke also confirmed that cars belonging to journalists had been pelted with stones and one of the SABC camerapersons had been punched. None of the journalists sustained serious injuries.
This is the third incident, since the beginning of the year, in which journalists in South Africa who are covering mass action have come under attack. The other two incidents happened in the Western Cape province where striking farm workers torched and stoned vehicles belonging to journalists on separate occasions. An SABC crew and three journalists from privately-owned media were affected and no major injuries were suffered.
MISA continues to advise journalists covering mass protests that are likely to turn violent to exercise extreme caution when doing so.
Post published in: Africa News