South Africa: State Capture, Accountability and the Media
- https://dullahomarinstitute.org.za/acjr/events/south-africa-state-capture-accountability-and-the-media
- South Africa: State Capture, Accountability and the Media
- 2019-07-09T10:00:00+02:00
- 2019-07-09T12:30:00+02:00
- 9 July 2019: ACJR and the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) are co-hosting a morning seminar on 9 July 2019 with three esteemed journalists to explore the links between state accountability and the media:
- What ACJR Event
- When 09 Jul, 2019 from 10:00 AM to 12:30 PM (Africa/Johannesburg / UTC200)
- Where Holiday Inn, The Zone, Oxford Rd, Rosebank, Johannesburg.
- Contact Name Miché Roberts
- Add event to calendar iCal
Two institutions played key roles in holding the state accountable in recent years. On the one hand, the judiciary and on the other, an independent media, and in particular, a small group of investigative journalists. According to Corder et al accountability in the general sense “can be said to require a person to explain and justify – against criteria of some kind – their decisions or actions. It also requires that the person goes on to make amends for any fault or error and takes steps to prevent its recurrence in the future.” It is also true that journalists and media houses were placed under immense pressure if not direct intimidation not to report on corrupt and dishonest practices by officials in the state and state-owned enterprises.
Africa Criminal Justice Reform (ACJR - University of the Western Cape) and the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) are co-hosting a morning seminar on 9 July 2019 with three esteemed journalists to explore the links between state accountability and the media:
- Jacques Pauw, Author “The President’s Keepers”
- Thanduxolo Jika, Investigations Editor, Mail & Guardian
- Sally Evans, amaBhungane Centre for Investigative Journalism
ACJR and the ISS have done extensive research on state capture linked to the National Prosecuting Authority, state-owned enterprises and law enforcement in general. There is little doubt that the current legal framework and its application has left too many escape routes to ensure proper and credible accountability of the executive. In many cases it was the media that stepped in where designated accountability structures failed in their mandates.