ANN7 apologises over identity leak

COVERAGE PUT RESIDENTS’ LIVES AT RISK News channel admits to gross negligence after Glebelands broadcast.

Television news channel ANN7 has broadcast a public apology to the Glebelands Hostel community violence victims and has admitted to gross negligence after being ordered to do so by the Broadcasting Complaints Commission of South Africa (BCCSA).

This relates to its recent coverage of an event held at Glebelands, which allegedly put some community members lives at risk, the Right2Know (R2K) campaign said in a statement yesterday.

On April 17, Glebelands violence victims hosted a press conference to announce their appeal to the United Nations for assistance in bringing an end to the violence which has beset this community for many years.

The news media present were allegedly repeatedly requested not to identify any of the hostel community members at the press conference, due to their fears of violent reprisal.

“These fears are well-founded. The press conference took place in the wake of the murder of ANC PR, councillor Zodwa Sibiya – a Glebelands hostel resident – only the night before.

“A total of 64 people have now died at Glebelands since March 2014, and 14 have been tortured by police.

“Exposing the identities of the residents present at the press conference through the news media would pose a serious security risk to these vulnerable persons,” R2K noted.

According to the organisation, all news media outlets present at the event complied with this request, with the exception of ANN7.

“This broadcaster aired footage of the event on April 18 without heeding our request to conceal the identities of community members.”

R2K subsequently lodged a complaint with the BCCSA, which was discussed at a tribunal hearing on September 8.

The commission ruled that ANN7 should publically apologise, and this apology was broadcast on the evening of September 20.

“This is a small but significant victory for the people of our community, who for too long have been failed by any authority,” R2K stated. – Citizen reporter