South African Human Rights Commission

SAHRC rejects claims by the Forum for Black Journalists

 

The SA Human Rights Commission refutes the mischievous and untruthful claims by the Forum For Black Journalist steering committee chairperson Mr Abbey Makoe that its finding against the FBJ represents a judicial ambush. He alleged that it only dawned on them that the Commission had dealt with the complaint against them through its legal procedures on Friday the 4th of April and that the FBJ was deliberately lulled into a false sense of expectation by the Commission chairperson.

 

Mr Makoe has conveniently omitted to share with the public that on March 4th the Commission wrote to him to request a substantive response to the complaint against his organization and that such a response should have reached it by no later than Tuesday the 18th of March, as the panel discussion was not intended to be a substitute for the Commission’s normal complaint handling procedures.

 

When no response came from him, the Commission wrote him another letter on March 17th, to which he also did not reply. Clearly, it stands to reason that Mr Makoe and his organization were indeed given sufficient opportunity to respond to the complaint against them.

 

The Commission further rejects assertions that it has in effect banned the FBJ and that its finding criminalized blackness. The FBJ can continue in its activities but should so within the parameters of the Equality Act which provides that the exclusion of particular people solely on the basis of race is prohibited.

 

In its finding the Commission maintained that the FBJ should amend the provisions of its Constitution which relate to membership, thereby opening membership to all races, subject to the proviso that any person who chooses to become a member of the FBJ should subscribe to their principles and be committed to the advancement and empowerment of black journalists.

 

In addition, the Commission rejects suggestions that it is opposed to the advancement of the disadvantaged though programmes such Black Economic Empowerment and Affirmative Action.

 

The Commission urges the South African public to engage with its finding.