This follows a recent article by Sunday World journalist Ngwako Malatji, viewed as inconsiderate of the lives of victims after it disclosed sensitive and confidential details contained in a police statement, in respect of a reported rape case against DJ Fresh and DJ Euphonik at Sunnyside Police Station.
A group of gender-based violence (GBV) activists gathered outside the Sunday World Head office in Dunkeld West in solidarity with the #BelieveHer campaign led by GBV activist, Ntsiki Mazwai. Along with the staunch activist who led the group was media personality Penny Lebyane who said that the group of women in attendance strongly felt that “it’s about time they go to the source of a problem that has been existing in the media space”, following an article published by Sunday World on the 28th February 2021 titled “Rape accuser apologizes to Euphonik- “I am sorry for what I did to you and DJ Fresh, I am scared”
During an engagement with Nosipho Mncube, Lebyane continued, “we understand that Sunday World is a tabloid but [nonetheless] the ethics of journalism still govern how they go about the story,” and went on to say that every person has a right of reply unless they choose otherwise.
According to a memorandum of demands by the #BelieveHer group, the publication referred details in the article that allegedly consisted of a statement given to a member of the South African Police Service (“SAPS”) without the victim’s consent and or knowledge. “This conduct (the ‘leak’ of personal and confidential information only to be used for criminal proceedings) is detrimental not only to the safety of victims of gender-based violence but also an infringement of their rights to privacy, confidentiality and right of protection under the law.”
Sunday World is accused of being nonchalant against victims of abuse in their reporting and consequently the GBV activists’ group believes that action against this intolerable practice is imperative.
In their memorandum of demands to Sunday World management, #BelieveHer demanded “a public retraction making amends for publishing the article based on unverified WhatsApp message by DJ Euphonik by Sunday 7 March 2021 with appropriate prominence as to the retraction, correction and/or explanation for publishing the article.”
The group also demanded that Sunday World “dismiss Malajti as a journalist for his callous misconduct on this matter.”
Lastly, #BelieveHer demands that Sunday World convene a meeting to engage on the paper’s approach to reporting on GBV in particular.”
